The Tulane University supplemental essay is optional, but highly recommended.
"Describe why you are interested in joining the Tulane community. Consider your experiences, talents, and values to illustrate what you would contribute to the Tulane community if admitted."
This essay has a maximum word count of 250 words.
My "aha" moment came from a broken sprinkler head. I watched my elderly neighbor struggle to fix it and realized many seniors in my community needed help with small, everyday tasks. I created a simple text-based service, "Neighborhood Helpers," connecting student volunteers with seniors for things like yard work or tech support. My goal wasn't just to provide a service, but to build connections between generations. This experience taught me the value of human-centered problem-solving.
That’s why I am so excited by the Phyllis M. Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking. I want to move beyond good intentions and learn a formal process for creating effective, sustainable solutions. The Taylor Center’s focus on empathy and practical skills is exactly what I’m looking for. I hope to participate in the Changemaker Institute, turning my passion for community building into a real venture. At Tulane, I want to collaborate with peers who share my drive, using what I learn to address challenges in the New Orleans community and contribute to Tulane’s culture of positive change.
After pulling a rusty bicycle from my local creek, I realized environmentalism wasn't just about data; it was about tangible action. I started organizing monthly cleanups, but my real passion became explaining why it mattered to my neighbors. I learned that science needs good storytelling to inspire change.
This is why I am drawn to Tulane’s ByWater Institute. Its location on the Mississippi River and its focus on community-engaged research is the perfect place to merge my interests. I am fascinated by the institute's commitment to not only studying coastal challenges but also making that science accessible to the public. The idea of working with nature, not against it, resonates deeply with my hands-on experience. At Tulane, I want to contribute my passion for science communication to research projects, helping to bridge the gap between the lab and the local communities of the Gulf South. I believe that telling the story of our environment is the first step to protecting it.
My love for history started not in a textbook, but in the syncopated rhythms of a John Coltrane solo. I fell down a rabbit hole, discovering how jazz was a response to social upheaval, a form of protest, and a new language all at once. My talent is seeing the connections between different fields, whether it’s music and history or art and politics.
Tulane’s interdisciplinary curriculum is why I feel so drawn to the university. I don’t want to just study one subject; I want to understand how they weave together. The opportunity to explore New Orleans through a TIDES first-year seminar or engage with the New Orleans Center for the Gulf South would be incredible. Being in a city that is a living museum of cultural fusion is the ideal environment for my curiosity. I would contribute to the Tulane community by bringing this connective mindset to every class discussion, and I hope to join cultural organizations to help create events that celebrate the rich, layered history that makes both New Orleans and Tulane so special.
All the best.
