ryan stumacher
We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (fewer than 300 words)
Sitting shoulder to shoulder with five hundred classmates in complete silence, I learned to appreciate the rare opportunity for introspection that Meeting for Worship provided. Though I am not a Quaker, my Quaker education profoundly shaped my sense of self and how I engage with others. Meeting for Worship was one expression of these values, but the Quaker principles of simplicity, peace, integrity, and community permeated my entire school experience.
Before attending Germantown Friends, education often felt like an exercise in memorization and performance, disconnected from any real meaning. At GFS, I was introduced to a more holistic approach that encouraged personal growth, critical thinking, and collaboration. I came to understand education not as a process of accumulating knowledge, but as one of becoming a more reflective, engaged thinker. Classroom discussions transformed from competitive exercises into shared intellectual experiences where different viewpoints enriched the learning process. This shift in perspective taught me that true progress happens through collaboration and mutual understanding, not individual achievement.
At Northwestern, I’m excited to carry these values with me into the Radio/Television/Film program. The coursework’s inherent emphasis on creativity and teamwork, and the department’s cross-disciplinary nature mirror the approach I valued at Germantown Friends, where learning was about shared growth and dependent upon listening to and working with diverse perspectives. Furthermore, Northwestern’s flexibility in taking classes across its undergraduate schools will allow me to explore a multitude of study areas, further enriching my understanding of the world and lending integrity to my storytelling. Ultimately, I see Northwestern as a place where I can deepen my commitment to reflective learning— the end product of pursuing the Quaker principles that have shaped my education – and use that commitment to create meaningful, collaborative work that will contribute to Northwestern’s vibrant, creative community.