Skillful AI Performance:
I used artificial intelligence to research how successful collegiate mock trial organizations structure their constitutions, officer responsibilities, membership requirements, and election procedures.
By analyzing examples from universities across the country, AI helped me quickly identify common governance practices and organizational frameworks. I then independently drafted a constitution for the University of Illinois Chicago Mock Trial Organization, tailoring it to the needs of our team and university requirements.
Throughout the process, I verified information through university policies and reviewed each provision to ensure it aligned with our organization’s goals. AI accelerated the research phase, but the final document, structure, and language were developed and written by me. This experience demonstrated how AI can be used as a research tool to gather information efficiently while still requiring critical thinking, judgment, and original work to produce a finished result.
Driving Change
Laws can be complex. Laws can be difficult to understand or easy to ignore. Laws can be flawed and Laws can be rigid. But Laws have impact. Laws are powerful, something that isn’t easy to change. Think of the board game Risk. Lots of Rules, moving pieces, and different aspects that change each player’s game. You gather a few of your friends around and start playing. You deal out the cards, assign your pieces, and start rolling dice. More times than not, a problem happens with one of the aspects of the game, fortifying a certain number of troops, how far you can move them, or how many cards you can take. All of a sudden, an endless amount of questions pop up out of nowhere, and nobody knows how to resolve the problem. Nobody read the 8-page long, 9-point font rulebook. Rules and laws are everywhere, and everyone is too busy taking their turn and rolling dice to focus on the ins and outs of the rulebook. A single parent who is taking their children to school on the way to work simply doesn’t have the time to learn the rules. So when, eventually, each and every person will have to look at the rulebook, I want to be the one to help them understand, move forward, and use the rules to help people, defend them, and make sure nobody is hurt by not understanding them.
I first learned of this concept in one of my political science classes this past year. The class focused on government spending for research, the tech industry, and the new world of social media and it’s impacts on society.
The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low knowledge or skill in a subject tend to overestimate their abilities. Because they lack expertise, they often do not recognize their own mistakes or gaps in understanding. As people learn more about a topic, they often become more aware of its complexity and may actually feel less confident for a time. With continued learning and experience, confidence usually becomes more aligned with actual ability. The effect shows that confidence and competence are not always the same thing. It demonstrates the importance of humility, dialouge, and continuous learning when developing new skills.
Community Service
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fundraiser 5k Run: Organized and launched a community 5K race benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in memory of my grandfather. Designed the race route, led outreach and promotion to recruit participants, coordinated logistics and volunteers, and successfully executed a safe, well-run event that brought the community together.
Poll Worker: Verified voter registration, helped individuals navigate voting procedures, and ensured all guidelines were followed in accordance with state election laws. Worked with fellow election staff to keep operations organized and running smoothly from opening to closing.
Culinary Culture
Alla Vita: While this upscale Italian restaurant has fantastic rigatoni alla vodka and chicken parmesan, I will always remember Alla Vita as the place where I almost met Zach LaVine, former Chicago Bulls guard. My dad took my mom out for dinner, and he was the lucky one who got to meet and talk with LaVine as they were leaving the restaurant. I’ve gone back hoping to spot another star athlete, but all I’ve found is spectacular food.
Green Street Smoked Meats: Located in the heart of the West Loop, this BBQ joint features a beautiful cave-like design and is never empty. With plenty of picnic-style tables, dim lighting, and a massive projector showing the biggest game of the day, the atmosphere is hard to beat. You can’t go wrong with the chopped brisket and sweet sauce, free-refill drinks, and a Chicago Twinkie—a bacon-wrapped jalapeño stuffed with giardiniera, cream cheese, and their special ingredients. I save that treat for special occasions.
Cone Ice Cream: Although the name is a little silly, the Cookie Monster ice cream with hot fudge cannot be beaten. Vanilla-flavored, blue-colored, and packed with Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies, it never disappoints. I’ve been visiting the creamery with my family since 2015, slowly working my way up from the $1.50 mini cone to the delicious sundae I enjoy today. It simply never disappoints.
Sunday Traditions
I am a diehard Chicago Bears fan. I have watched every game since 2017. The Bears connect not only me and my family, but the entire city of Chicago. Growing up, going over to my grandpa’s house to watch the game with my grandparents, and even my great-grandpa, was always special to me. Walking through the city on Sunday mornings just hours before kickoff is an experience unlike any other. There’s a cool, crisp feeling in the air. You get a calm nod from a family wearing Bears gear as they pass you on the sidewalk. Everyone is ready for Bears football.
The Bears, overall, do not have the most complete roster in the NFL, let alone the NFC. The Rams, Seahawks, and arguably even the 49ers have more well-rounded teams. What those teams lack, however, is an athletic superstar at quarterback. Matthew Stafford is a fantastic player, a likely Hall of Famer, and the reigning MVP, but he is nearing the end of his career. Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy are both very good quarterbacks, but neither possesses the ability to completely take over a game on their own. Caleb Williams has that ability. Even with remaining questions in the trenches and possibly in the secondary, the Bears are never out of a game when he is on the field. In the NBA, the team with the best player often wins. In MLB, it’s usually the team that gets hot at the right time. In the NFL, you need playmakers on both sides of the ball, but The Iceman can make up for costly mistakes in a way that few players can. That’s something not every team can say.
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WordCamp US 26
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