1234 Smith Street

Brooklyn, NY 12333

February 12, 2022

Ms. Julianne Davidow

Adjunct Lecturer, English Department

City College of New York

160 Convent Avenue

New York, NY 10031

Dear Ms. Davidow,

I’m writing to introduce myself to you and give you an idea of my background and interests. This is my first year at City College, and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can about Writing for Engineering.

I was born in Bangladesh and immigrated to the United States in 2009. I grew up in Sunnyside, Queens. At first, I wanted to move back. I missed all my aunts and uncles, especially my cousins. I didn’t understand the language that everybody around me was speaking. On the first day of school, I cried hard when I realized my dad would not be in the classroom with me. I sat in the lunchroom alone, trying to understand where I was and what everyone around me was saying. It took a while for my family and me to adjust, but I started to like living here. But some days, I miss seeing the coconut and mango trees.

My favorite subjects in school were math and history. I liked math because there would always be a specific answer that I could find. I enjoyed history because I like learning about people’s cultures and backgrounds. Learning about history is also important because it can teach us which mistakes we shouldn’t make again in the future. My extracurricular activities include the Bangladesh Student Association (BSA). In high school, I enjoyed clubs, so I was in many. I was the president of the World Science Academy (WSA), a club geared toward exploring different fields for high schoolers. I was also the Professional Development Chair of Bard Diverse Network of Action (DNA). In DNA, I helped faculty and my peers organize school events like Black Lives Matter Day, Pi Day, International Night, Winter Wonderland, and more. I enjoyed DNA because it helped bring all students in our school together, regardless of grade level. Students were able to make new friends and have fun! I was also on the cross-country and softball teams. In softball, I practiced playing outfield. I did not enjoy softball as much because, although I was good at throwing the ball, I was scared of batting. But I do enjoy running. When I run, even though my heart is beating really fast, I feel like my head feels a bit clearer. I often overthink and stress, but running helps me clear my mind.

I have always loved being there for people. I feel like everyone should have somebody they can talk to, whether it is their parent, friend, guidance counselor, teacher, etc. I like offering solutions to my friends’ problems and making them laugh when they are upset. I like to offer both sides and pros and cons because I believe it can really help the person see the situation as a whole and then make a decision. I also love baking with my younger brothers, trying out new recipes, and experimenting. It is exciting to see something work well. It is also interesting to see why something did not work. 

The reason I chose engineering, specifically biomedical engineering, is that I wanted to combine my interests in healthcare with engineering. In BME, I can produce efficient products that will enable better quality and quantity of life for patients. I like the field of engineering because I can complete hands-on projects. It also gives me the tools I need to solve a variety of problems. 

A meaningful experience I had was when I volunteered at the World Science Festival. I was assigned to be a greeter and help with the dominoes exhibit. The dominoes exhibit had many large dominoes, the tallest of which was 5 feet. To my surprise, there were more people in the younger audience. This was a meaningful experience because I had to try to explain kinetic energy to toddlers. Not just toddlers but also kids and adults. I had to switch up the way I explained the motion based on the audience. It taught me how to communicate and present information to various age groups while keeping them engaged.

My dream for the future is to work in a career I love where I can also help others. I hope to travel and learn more about other people’s cultures. Being familiar with different cultures will also help me create a positive work environment and build strong relationships. My main areas of interest in engineering are medical biomechanics, nanotechnology, and rehabilitation engineering.   

What I’d really like to learn this semester is how to make my writing more concise and change my mindset about writing. Sometimes, I feel like I have to write a perfect piece, and that slows me down. My concern is that I will get caught up in the descriptions and not be short and to the point. But I am willing to try my best so I can enjoy writing more!

Sincerely,

Mahfuza Alam