If anyone has ever known Evan Chang (12) since elementary school, they would know that his dream school has always been Cornell. Every college-wear Friday, without a doubt, people would see Chang wearing a bright red shirt with bold white letters spelling out ‘Cornell’ on the front with a big smile. And over the years, the red of the fabric began to fade with the printed-on letters beginning to crack from the wash. When one thought about Cornell, they thought about Chang.
But where did this aspiration toward Cornell come from? With his dad having been an alumnus of the prestigious school and being a large role model in his life, the opportunity to attend Cornell has always been a goal since he was a kid. However, as Chang underwent high school and his desires for college evolved, Cornell became an even more attractive option as its facilities coincided with what he wanted in a college education.
“I visited the campus this past September and during my visit, I was able to really experience the passion of everyone there,” Chang said. “I was able to visit the observatory and meet these people who were very passionate about what they were doing and put all of their efforts towards it.”
But reaching this goal came with its challenges. Whether it was taking his first AP class in freshman year or learning to balance sports with classwork, Chang soon learned the hard way that high school was going to be another obstacle to reaching his goals.
“I think a big hurdle for me was taking my first AP test with Mr. Boren. That was like this slap to the face,” Chang said. “A lot of people had told me, ‘Oh, don’t take AP Human Geography, it’s going to ruin your sleep’ and I was like, ‘I can’t go through high school fearing the teacher or fearing in class,’ so I dove head first and overcoming that was probably one of the first obstacles I had.”
Despite this, Chang’s intelligence and capability has never been questioned. Both inside the classroom and out on the pool deck, Chang puts his all in everything he does and excels at it.
“I’ve had students go to you name it, and I don’t think it matters where you go to school, but Evan is going to make the most of any opportunity that comes his way,” swim coach and AP Calculus AB teacher, Mr. Adam Sjol said. “He’s still going to outperform everybody and figure out what he’s going to do in life.”
Not only do his teachers see his hard work, but anyone who has been in a class with him would see his natural ability to absorb information and lead a class. But alongside his talents, Chang is a kindhearted soul that is always willing to help people along the way. Of all the individuals who have met him, Zachary Chang (12) has watched Chang grow and care for others from elementary to high school.
“Evan has a really big heart,” Zachary Chang said. “He always looks out for others and a lot of times, he puts others before himself, which is why I like him a lot–he’s always willing to lend a hand to others.”
In December 2024, Chang opened his early decision results from Cornell and it was confirmed: he got in. As he prepares to attend Cornell in the fall, Chang is looking forward to majoring in biomedical engineering and eventually becoming an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in creating medical devices for the treatment of cancer.
While the process to getting here has not been a straight trajectory, Chang continues to remember his dad and look up to his mom in every step of the way.
“My dad actually was a doctor and so seeing the help he was able to offer his patients and the positive environment he worked in, it made me think medicine is one of the most honorable positions you can do because you’re investing so much time in your life to help serve others,” Evan Chang said. “And that’s something I would always want to do in my life–help other people and serve the community.”
As Chang prepares to graduate high school and take on this new chapter in his life, he is ready to leave Ayala and leave this one last piece of advice for anyone hoping to follow his footsteps.
“Don’t be a passive student. Go out there, try new things. You know it’s okay if in the beginning you don’t like something. There are so many things at the school to try,” Evan Chang said. “But if you don’t want to dip your foot in the water, you don’t test out the hard AP Human Geography, or you don’t try that really difficult class, you’ll never know what you can achieve.”
