Strapped to a parachute, I was hundreds of feet in the air over the waters of the Pacific Ocean. I was parasailing, but there was one problem: I was scared of heights. I put myself at the mercy of an irrational fear because of two words: plus ultra. Latin for “further beyond,” plus ultra has served as my guiding credo. It’s a call to action. I abandon fear and replace it with openness. Plus ultra encourages me to engage in my intellectual passions, lead and serve my community, and to pursue new and exciting endeavors. From reading encyclopedic articles on military history at the age of four to discussing Indo-Pacific foreign policy with a former Secretary of State, my love for history and government has been fueled by an insatiable curiosity that compels me to stretch the frontiers of my mind. I constantly ask bold questions to embrace the new in the unexplored. The unknown is not daunting; for me, it’s an untapped world of opportunity and possibility. Finding ways to serve my community and to address its needs demands the plus ultra perspective. Accordingly, I created a service initiative in the Philippines for low-income youth. In four years, I anchored a news station, helped raise funds for a school in Uganda, wrote a school handbook, and founded a speakers bureau at my high school. More than anything, I strive to develop a comprehensive and cosmopolitan understanding of the world. To do this, I dare myself to chase adventure and exciting new fields. I became a graphic designer and urban photographer. I sing jazz standards in my free time. I hosted a popular web series and helped produce a short film in high school. Viewing the world through a variety of perspectives and lessons learned grounds me in a deep respect for the willingness to experiment and, in doing so, cultivate wisdom. From this, I have become a leader who can listen, empathize, and better comprehend the complexities of the human story by viewing it through the lens of empathy and understanding, a lens born from an attitude of genuine curiosity and patient exploration. Plus ultra isn’t just a motto or a call to action — it’s a way of life. I challenge myself to live everyday in this manner with every interaction and in every experience. Living the plus ultra life has taken me, literally and figuratively, to new heights. It’s my mission to help others find meaning in the rich diversity of enlightening possibilities offered by the world and by challenging them to go further beyond.