Aziz Anderson

Hometown: Snellville, GA

High School: Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Intended Major: Psychology

Possible Career: Industrial and Organizational Psychology

5 Words: Black son, brother, friend, dreamer

What impact do you want to have on this world?

This is a difficult question to answer. If I could inspire one person to experience, appreciate, and cherish their lives, including the vicissitudes that are inherent to life itself, that would be impact enough. 

Name a person you admire.

Beverly Anderson is my oldest, closest, and coolest friend. I admire her humility, her candor, and her faith. She's taught me, through real experience, the importance of resiliency and family, and I owe my life to her vision for the future and her sheer will to accomplish that vision. 

What is something you are proud of in your life so far?

I'm proud that kids from my community can look to me for guidance and for reassurance that anything is possible - have a goal, not letting others deter you from your path, and yes, enrolling in college. These may seem like "givens" for some, but for others, they can look like insurmountable challenges. 

What have been the most valuable Evans Scholars program experiences for you?

Spending a week canoeing down the Delaware River and sleeping on the world's first ever "bed" during that time, while having a week-long allergic reaction in a state I had never been to, with 10 people (my year's Evans Scholars) I had never met, figuring out the awkward and necessary truths about group dynamics, while discovering my dislike for hummus rolled in tortillas, was more than a valuable experience as an Evans!

What was the most transformative class you have taken and/or what subjects do you want to explore deeply?

I am invested into psychological studies because I truly believe that if we understood one another as people, we could treat one another as such.