Trick question.
Sure, there are far more Flinn Scholar alums with PhDs, MDs, JDs, and MBAs than in the general population. But how they get there, or to whatever other destination, is a unique story, every time.
Late last night, I heard from alum Ke Wu (’06), one of the most intelligent, thoughtful, and big-hearted people you’ll ever meet. She let me know the next step in her “typical path.” I’ll let the post from the Public Interest Law Center at NYU speak for itself:
Ke Wu
Filomen M. D’Agostino Scholar for Women or Children
Ke was born in Wuhan, China and raised in Tucson, Arizona. A graduate of University High School, she has been deeply influenced by the liberating potential of a progressive public education. While studying biochemistry as a Flinn Scholar at Arizona State University, Ke travelled around the world investigating education initiatives on a Circumnavigators Club Foundation Grant. This research inspired her to deepen her understanding of issues in domestic education, leading her to join Teach For America after graduating in 2010.
As a chemistry teacher at John C. Fremont High School in South Los Angeles, she witnessed how school reconstitution, followed by large budget cuts, left students disillusioned with schooling. In response, she engaged students in discussions about the role of social inequity in education. These discussions shaped her role as the Academic Decathlon coach, through which she witnessed the transformation of her decathletes into social justice advocates. These experiences, along with the prolific encouragement of her students, led her to pursue an MPhil in Education on a Gates Cambridge Scholarship and now, a law degree. With a legal background, she hopes to improve the capabilities of all children, starting with the right to equal access to education opportunities.