My name is Sophia, and I am a member of the Class of 2024 studying East Asian Area Studies and Music. Outside of academics, I am the Assistant Director of Penn Lions, and I am a classically trained singer as well. I also work at Fisher Fine Arts Library.
As part of the Class of 2024, my freshman year was very unconventional due to the pandemic. Classes were online for the entire year, and I only got to come to campus during my second semester. Fortunately, joining ISP gave me both an amazing academic and social experience despite the pandemic. The people you meet through ISP are some of the most engaged, curious, and thoughtful people you will ever meet. I still keep in touch with many of my friends from ISP a year later, and it is always exciting to find out that we have classes together, especially in Ben Franklin Seminars. The materials you work with through ISP and your classmates' thoughts on them will challenge your thinking and keep you questioning in the best way possible. The interdisciplinary nature of ISP also primes you to take what you learn in seemingly separate fields and use them together to inform novel and interesting perspectives. I would highly recommend ISP to any incoming freshman who is looking for a community full of academic curiosity and enthusiasm, as well as excellent and lasting friends.