Learning to Think

For me, MIT delivered on its promise to teach me to think, but classes were a small part of that. More important for me were the late-night discussions, usually sitting on the floor in the black or mural-covered halls bathed in the glow of the gel-colored lights of Fifth East East Campus. EC culture isn’t just about questioning authority, but about questioning everything, including yourself. Well, why couldn’t you build a …? How do you know … is true? What happens if we try …?

Having a place where you feel at home — comfortable and with a sense of ownership — is incredibly important to fostering intellectual creativity and emotional growth.

Class of 2003