Michelle White

Autobiographical Essay
Duffy
9th February 2016

When I was two years old my little brother, Andrew was born. He was
born with the genetic chromosome 21disorder, Down syndrome. It was then
that I decided I wanted to be a doctor. When it came time for me to choose a
high school I selected Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School because
they had a Medical Academy. This was a class we took for three years and
had a chance to shadow in several different fields of medicine senior year of
high school. After completing this program I thought I still wanted to go into
medicine but I was torn between three fields, genetics, pediatrics and
neuroscience. I wasnt too concerned though because I had all of undergrad
to figure that out.
Fall semester of my freshman year at Auburn University I took an
introduction to Psychology class and that made my decision for me. I would
become a psychiatrist. My idea was to go to the University of Washington in
Seattle, for medical school and then practice as a Pediatric Psychiatrist. By
the time of my spring semester, however, I had realized medical school just
wasnt for me. So I decided to get my folder form the COSAM office and walk
it down to the College of Liberal Arts. My secret hobby my entire life had
been writing. It was a go to stress reliever as well as something that brought
me much joy. I was so excited to be majoring in Creative Writing, school

White 2
gained an element of fun and it was as if everything had clicked into place. I
wanted to write, and be an editor for Penguin Publishing only after
completing my Masters in publishing at Oxford, of course.
Yet again, life had an interesting turn in store for me. The fall semester
of my junior year I was sexual assaulted and then two weeks later diagnosed
with Mono, which I then had for over nine months. After the assault I became
increasingly depressed, which was only worsened by the mono and vice
versa so my parents decided to bring me home for a semester long medical
leave. During this time I was regularly seeing a counselor and psychiatrist,
which helped tremendously and after that spring and summer I was able to
return to school in the Fall with a minor in Psychology. My many sessions the
amazing women, who counseled me, re-awoke my love for psychology and
that is why I decided to minor in it. Not soon after returning to school I got
involved in a small group through one of my friends and in that small group I
fell in love with Jesus, this brought purpose and definition to my life in an
overwhelming and amazing. A purpose that I had always felt half-baked was
now vibrant and alive in me.
During the time I had spent at home, I had met a girl from India who
had introduced me to Bollywood, and from that grew a fascination with what
I think to be the most interesting culture and country. This fascination with
India, coupled with my love for writing and literature as well as my passion
for counseling all tied together with a calling the Lord placed on my heart for
missions and teaching abroad. There was one piece missing though. I knew I

White 3
would want to be working in smaller, high risk villages and that I would want
to be able to help them in a physical way as well. This is when I found Rural
and Community development. With these three concentrations, I will be able
to reach all the goals that have been placed in front of me. Ive never been
more excited about school; because now I know it will prepare me for my
next adventure.