Daisy Ng

For Daisy Ng, curiosity is a process that begins with wonder—and ends with action.

“It is embodied by chasing new experiences and spreading new ideas,” Daisy wrote. “We need courage to share our curiosity and live it out.”

It is fitting that Daisy could not be with us today because she is studying abroad in Switzerland through the Presidential Global Scholars program. She is gladly embracing new places, foods, and experiences—even the uncomfortable parts.

She wrote, “I have never felt so out of place—and I think that’s an important life experience and a great opportunity for self-discovery. Immersing myself in different societies is important to me because the process of uncovering the subconscious norms across different societies exposes how much our core beliefs influence our lives. It is empowering to me that the more aware I am about what I believe, the more power I have to change what I believe.”

Curiosity even drives Daisy’s approach to food.

She wrote, “I am passionate about experiencing the world through food. There is a lot we can learn about history and culture through cuisine.”

On campus, Daisy lives out her curiosity as a member of I WILL (Inspiring Women in Lifelong Leadership). Her nominator wrote, “She views as well as maximizes each and every moment as a learning opportunity and clearly connects what she is learning inside and outside the classroom. One question leads to another – one opportunity leads to another – one inspires another… and community is enriched, Aspirations for Student Learning are enacted, and Ut Prosim flourishes.”

During last year’s I WILL Institute, Daisy often served as a source of inspiration to her peers.

Her nominator wrote, “She has a keen ability to craft great questions. Daisy embraces the opportunity to learn with and from others. Not only does she espouse and enact curiosity, she inspires curiosity.”

Daisy explains curiosity this way: “Curiosity is a skill that can be practiced, and that involves awareness of our thought process, courage to give voice to our ideas, and action to make curiosity a way of life. It happens when our minds can travel freely, without our fears and judgments stopping new and weird ideas from becoming.”

After graduation, Daisy hopes to put her curiosity into action through pursuing entrepreneurship or moving abroad and working in management consulting for a global firm.

“My curiosity is motivated by the idea that I will never know unless I try,” she wrote. “I used to be worried about making the ‘right’ decisions academically or professionally, but I’ve realized that I can’t know what I do or don’t like unless I fully immerse myself and then decide. This mindset has helped me accept mistakes as necessary parts of the learning process and approach new experiences with the confidence that all my choices are important to my development.”

Daisy, thank you for putting your curiosity into action. This award is most deservedly yours.

Written by Tammy Tripp