Akash Patel
“Everything that I am today is because OU’s motto — 'For the citizen and for the state' — means that they took their investment in me as seriously as I did. I know they will do the same for you.”
Hey there!
You are about to make a series of decisions that will impact the rest of your life, and I am here to tell you why OU needs to be among the first!
My name is Akash and I was considering the same choice in 2009. When I graduated from Putnam City West, I was overwhelmed by all the options, all the advice, and all the information on colleges and majors. I never imagined that the special support and resources I received at OU would empower me to start my own nonprofit in Oklahoma City after I graduated in 2014.
And now, I am in law school at the University of Michigan. I have worked at the Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division in D.C. and at a large law firm in D.C. It fills me with great pride to say that all of my success has been possible because of my time at OU. Here are a few reasons why:
The variety of student organizations and fellowships that were available to me ensured that I developed the critical skills I would need for any career.
My professors were more than excellent teachers—they had real experiences throughout their careers that allowed us to participate in projects and discussions that ranged far beyond textbook material.
OU provides a global community, so I was always surrounded by diverse students and faculty who challenged me to grow as a student and as a young adult.
OU’s consistent investment in new technologies as well as academic and scientific research ensured that I was educated in new and innovative ways. (Did you know we have a Virtual Reality and 3D Printing Lab?!)
The OU community is an incubator of social justice that has prepared me to become the fullest version of myself and unlock my civic existence. I am now empowered to know that I can affect change in the things that I care about.
In short, everything that I am today is because OU’s motto — “For the citizen and for the state” — means that they took their investment in me as seriously as I did. I know they will do the same for you.
Boomer Sooner!
Akash Patel
J.D. Candidate, University of Michigan Law School
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow
