Creativity comes easy for Stephanie Evans.
Evans, a UF associate professor of African-American studies and women’s studies, attended a performing arts middle school and grew up in a performing arts family.
She’s also spent time mastering a different art form: The college admissions essay.
The former employee of the Brown University Admission Office developed a Web site to help high school students think outside the box when writing application essays.
She said she hopes the site will be running by the beginning of March, adding that college students applying to graduate school can also use the site for their admissions essays.
The site is part of the NIA Statement of Purpose Project, which encourages students to write a haiku and poem along with their admissions essay to try to put themselves in a more creative mindset while writing.
Evans asks students to film themselves reciting their poems and essays and post the video on YouTube. She can then add the postings to a database section on her Web site, where students can find inspiration for their own essays and videos.
“It’s designed to help them think critically in structure, creatively in their choice of career; and it also stresses the need for editing,” Evans said. Evans said the site also involves more than creative thinking.
“It’s about finding what you need for academic and career planning to pick the right major,” Evans said.
Evans encouraged UF students to help with the site.
To see the site visit www.niastatement.net.
Correction: Stephanie Evans worked at Brown University as the Assistant Director for Youth Education Programs at the Swearer Center for Public Service, not at the Office of Admissions.
