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May 18, 2009 'I wanted a top engineering school that also was good in other academics, had competitive sports teams, was in a major metropolitan area and had warm weather. Obviously, I had to let a few things slide.'
Senior profile: Max Wasserman
Major: Mechanical engineering (with a minor in applied math) Why did you choose Cornell?
I wanted a top engineering school that also was good in other academics, had competitive sports teams, was in a major metropolitan area and had warm weather. Obviously, I had to let a few things slide. Main Cornell extracurricular activity -- why is it important to you?
Being a member of the student-run radio station WVBR. I started as a sportscaster. Since then, I have written and read humorous rants on air, hosted the sports talk show, made commercials, created an entertainment show, became sports director and, finally, became a disc jockey. Your most profound turning point while at Cornell?
I was having a tough time adjusting to college life my freshman year. By the end of my first semester, I wasn't sure I could get used to it. Then I received an e-mail from a teaching assistant, informing me that I had gotten the highest score on the final. He said he was very impressed and that I would be very successful if I kept the same work ethic. That e-mail gave me newfound hope that I could do this college thing. As it turned out, I could. Did any of your beliefs or interests change during your time at Cornell?
I've realized I enjoy working in media. I landed a summer internship after my junior year at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic in Bethesda, Md. In my search for an internship, I toured The New York Times, Washington Post and even got an interview with "The Late Show with David Letterman." Thanks to WVBR, my media resume is stronger than my engineering resume. While at Cornell, what other accomplishments/activities are you most proud of?
My first two years here, I drew a comic strip -- even though I cannot draw very well -- for the Cornell Daily Sun. Eventually, I realized that I could write without drawing and moved on to sports blogging, which I'm most proud of. Last year, I was fiddling around with some sports statistics when on a whim, I sent some interesting results to one of the most-read sports blogs, "The Big Lead," and was offered a position as a contributor there. I spent my summer mathematically analyzing sports and writing posts about it. Currently, I write for IvyGate, including a weekly post where I recap the weekend in Ivy League sports. What are your plans for next year; where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Next year, I'm off to Northwestern University for graduate school to study applied math. I plan to continue blogging, and it may lead to new opportunities. I'm not sure where I will be in 10 years, but it'll be hard for me to give up my work in media. It's just too much fun. |
