Grade: Graduated senior

Family members: Stacy Rowan (mother), David Rowan (father) and Abigail Rowan (sister)

Favorite subjects: PLTW introduction to engineering design: I can’t say enough about this class. I thought I wanted to be an engineer before, but now that I’ve had this class, I know I want to be an engineer. I learned a lot about creativity in engineering and especially loved the 3D CAD design unit. This class feels like it’s on the cutting edge of new technology and discovery. English: I’ve always liked English, but in high school I’ve been exposed to more challenging literature, which I’ve enjoyed for the most part. I particularly love reading and analyzing the work because it gives me an idea of how people perceive the same stories and poems in completely different ways. Calculus: This was definitely the hardest math I’ve taken, but it was also the most interesting. The practical applications were super fun and I was in awe about how much of physics and our understanding of the world can be graphed and manipulated with numbers.

Activities: I was a member of two sports teams at Freedom: cross country and lacrosse. I was captain of the lacrosse team. I was also part of the FTC (first tech challenge) robotics team, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the National Honors Society.

Next steps: I plan on going to college to either Stevens Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, Penn State or Cornell and getting a degree in mechanical engineering.

Career goals: I would love to eventually return to school and get a higher degree in aerospace engineering. It would be great to have a job at a technologically advanced company or organization like NASA. I am looking to have a job that won’t get boring.

Heroes: Two of my heroes are my grandparents. I call them Oma and Opa because Oma is a first generation American. Both of them were first in their families to go to college and both have worked extremely hard to build successful careers and a great family environment for my dad and aunt.

Hobbies: I take modern and tap dance classes at Art of Dance (AOD). I have been dancing since I was 2, so it’s an important and constant part of my life. It has always been a challenge, but I also love the feeling of performing and being on stage. This was my first year at Young Life, but I was able to go to the one-week summer camp and rediscover my religion. I am much more passionate and proud of my religion and have started attending weekly campaigners meetings. I really enjoy reading and writing on my own, mostly stories, but occasionally I write poetry. I play club lacrosse with T3 Elite West. This is important because it has helped me develop my skills and has helped in the college recruiting process. It has also helped me become a greater contributor to the Freedom team.

Volunteer/community work: I volunteer at NFL flag football games, the Da Vinci Science Center exhibit, middle school cross country events, FHS lacrosse events (car washes, clinics for the Bulldogs teams, Lax Day) and last summer at STEM summer camp for younger kids in the school district.

Likes: I like lacrosse, sports, dogs, writing, chocolate, reading, surfing and skiing.

Dislikes: I do not like cilantro and snakes.

Greatest accomplishment (so far): My greatest accomplishment so far has been getting 100 career goals in lacrosse. It had been a goal since freshman year and I was really grateful to finally accomplish it last year.

Advice for peers: I would definitely recommend finding something you love and sticking with it. High school is a great time to explore. Try new classes; join new sports teams. Don’t be afraid to figure out what things you don’t like because it will only help determine what you really enjoy.

Julia Swan coordinates student profiles for the Bethlehem Press. Student profile subjects are selected by faculty and administration at the individual schools.