Evelyn Shue

Since middle school, Evelyn has been an avid debater, competing and excelling at tournaments across the country. She admits debate can be all-consuming, but, despite the difficult opponents and thoughtless mistakes, despite the unexplained losses and the endless influx of emotions, she still loves it.

She attended a humanities-focused magnet middle school, and now, she’s here in Richard Montgomery’s IB program, for which English is often considered one of the most rigorous courses.

One might think, therefore, that she is aiming to become a lawyer, a journalist, a politician.
But Evelyn discovered that she couldn’t envision herself dedicating the rest of her life to the humanities. From philosophy to political science, none of it piqued her interest.

Feeling lost, she looked to her parents for advice. They offered a one word-solution: “diversify!”

With her parents’ support, Evelyn has begun to test the waters of science, reading biology papers in her free time and joining RM’s Biology Club. Though she has found it intimidating to be alongside students who have studied STEM for their entire lives, she’s enjoyed expanding her horizons. As graphics editor for The Tide, she’s been able to further explore her interest in art.

No longer tied down to a single endgame, it’s undebatable — Evelyn feels far more free.

By Lynna Deng