Tulip is a high school senior from Hawaii who discovered her passion for international law through Envision by WorldStrides immersive programs. Tulip's interest in foreign affairs was first sparked when she attended Envision's National Security program. This catalyzed her passion and inspired her to take an Intensive Law and Trial course at Stanford the following summer. There, a mock trial experience and hands on practice further expanded her future in law.
As Tulip shares, the active, tactile learning helped the connection between her studies and real-life experiences "click”. Now, she hopes her story will encourage other students to find their calling through an Envision experience.
Tell us about yourself!
Hi! My name is Tulip, and I am a 17-year-old high school senior at Seabury Hall. I was born and raised on the humble island of Maui, Hawaii which indirectly inspired my aspirations of pursuing careers in policy creation and international law. Living in the islands, I am constantly surrounded by the fusion of cultures, myself included. Being half white and half Japanese inspired my passion for foreign affairs and engaging with different perspectives. In the summer before my junior year, I was given my first academic opportunity to pursue these passions through Envision’s National Security program in Maryland, where I was exposed to my first real taste of international affairs. It was love at first lesson and it opened my eyes to a global stage that fascinated me to no end and cultivated a newfound interest in the legalities of international affairs. Thus, I returned to Envision the following summer and enrolled in an Intensive Law and Trial course at Stanford to better understand the functionalities of the law. My experience there was genuinely life-changing and I felt as if I had found my calling. Something about being a lawyer truly set off a spark in me.
What was the most memorable moment of your program experience?
My most memorable program experience from the National Security program in Maryland was talking to Jonna Mendez, the former chief of disguise of the CIA. She gave us a whole lecture on the history of disguise and what techniques are currently deployed in the field today. Simply being in the same room as her was incredible! You could learn so much from anything that came from her mouth. I was so honored and had goosebumps the entire time.
My most memorable program experience from the Intensive Law and Trial program at Stanford was our mock trial. On the second to last day, the entire program went head-to-head in mock trials in the San Diego courtrooms. I had never done anything like this before in my life. I was quickly thrown into the shoes of a lawyer as I fulfilled my closing attorney role; cross/direct examining witnesses and answering to the judge at the head of the courtroom. The air surrounding us bubbly teenagers quickly became stiff and professional once the trial began. But, as soon as I finished my closing rebuttal, everyone rejoiced once again—shaking hands, laughing, and congratulating others for their valiant efforts. The experience was incredibly inspiring and lit a spark within me to actually pursue my interest in law.
How was attending the program different than learning in a traditional classroom?
Attending Envision programs was completely different from learning in a traditional classroom. While we did attend lectures or have “curriculum time” in the evenings, the majority of our learning was all experiential, which was incredibly valuable given that Envision’s programs are career-oriented. Instead of learning about the “idea” of a career and what we hypothetically assume it to be, we learned about the true experiences of that career and what pursuing that path would realistically result in. It gave us real-world experience rather than alluding to what that experience could potentially be.
How has your program experience helped you focus on a career path?
Attending Envision programs was what focused me on my current career aspirations. My first program with Envision was the National Security program in Maryland. I was going into my sophomore year of high school at the time and decided I was going to pursue a career in cyber security. I had been in a competitive ethical hacking program called Cyber Patriot since the eighth grade, I did separate coding and cyber security courses outside of school, and I flew through AP Computer Science as a Freshman. However, this plan completely changed after attending my Maryland program where I was introduced to the international aspect of national security. I became incredibly intrigued by international affairs and began wondering if I could pursue a career in international relations instead. I came across two routes: government and law. That’s when I got the opportunity to attend Envision’s Intensive Law and Trial program at Stanford which served as a crash course in courtroom procedure and the propositions of law. To my surprise, I loved every single second of that program. Reading case reports and learning courtroom procedure excited me to no end and I realized that something just felt right. Something had clicked. Now I have dreams of either working in government in international policy or working as an international law lawyer.
Do you intend on going to college? If so, have you decided your major?
I do intend to go to college and, as a result of where my Envision experience took me, I hope to major in International Relations.
What would you tell other students who are interested in attending an Envision program?
I have three pieces of advice for prospective Envision students: never feel like you are not qualified to be there, ask a million questions, and don’t pretend to be someone you are not. For piece of advice number one—you are qualified to be there. It doesn’t matter if your parents are experts in the field of your program, or if you know next to nothing about that given field. As long as you have interest, you are qualified to be there. For advice number two—do not be ashamed to ask questions. You are literally there to learn and take advantage of the opportunities you get while you are at an Envision program. You will be talking to experts, professionals, professors, and even other kids your age who are extremely knowledgeable about the subject. Lastly, for advice number three—please just be your true authentic self. It will make life easier, will make creating life-long friends simpler, and the experience overall will be just that much more fun.
Thank you, Tulip!
Discover more about National Youth Leadership Forum: National Security or Intensive Law & Trail and take one step closer to your future career in diplomacy, intelligence, national defense, and law.
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