Doreen Xu of Powder Springs, Georgia was selected as the winner of the 2011 BBG Communications Scholarship. Below you can read what Doreen submitted.

Essay #1: What do you think is the greatest advancement in the information and communications technology industry over the last 10 years?

Just imagine life with the cell phone. If not impossible, then nearly unthinkable. Today, cell phones dominates our everyday lives, especially with the proliferation of advanced technology and the advent of smartphones. These mobile phones are been taken for granted as much as electricity or heating, but it’s incredibly hard to fathom life before cell phones existed. Unquestionably, the greatest advancement in communications technology over the past decade must be the cell phone because of its ubiquitous presence and the fact that it has fundamentally shifted society and culture.

The statistics are staggering and affirm the cell phone’s dominant presence in our lives. Today, more people have cell phones than actual telephone lines, both in America and around the world. There are an estimated two billion cell phone users globally, and, as Slate Magazine has noted, in some time between 2010 and 2020, “everyone who wants and can afford a cell phone will have one.” Cell phones are a greater modern phenomenon with a greater impact than the internet; tellingly, Americans spend approximately seven hours a month talking on their mobile devices.

Communication technology, even before cell phones, has always served as a source of power. Is it a coincidence that superheroes have always owned special communications devices: Batman with his Batphone, Maxwell Smart with his spy phone, and legions of other fictional figures? The ability to talk to anyone at any desired time without a middleman or delay is a true triumph of modern engineering. And the cell phone sure epitomizes this power. Before the turn of the century, cell phones were at their primitive state: Nokia launched the cumbersome Cityman in 1987, and many called these phones “luggables” because, as one reporter noted, “mobiles of this era are often compared to bricks… but this is unfair, because bricks are quite attractive and relatively light.” Even so, only the wealthiest professionals could afford one.

This all changed close to the late 1990s, when cell phones became cheaper, smaller, and more readily available. While there were only around half a million subscribers of wireless phones, more than 85% of the American population does now. So why the increasing popularity of cell phones? The most obvious reason is convenience, which can cover a broad spectrum of uses. Clearly, there are a myriad individual uses of cell phones, from making appointments, checking voicemail, or just chatting with friends. Yet, cell phones also offer advantages outside our personal lives, into the business world—and sometimes they are quite unconventional. In Britain, mobile devices have been used for companies to remotely access meters; in Norway, millions can confirm tax returns by texting on their cell phones, and in Slovakia, cell phones are used to remotely switch the heat on before residents come home.

But perhaps the reason why cell phones are the superior technological advancement is the sense of security and safety that they provide. More than 90% of users poled admit that owning a cell phone makes them feel safer; every day, there are around 100 calls per minute to emergency services and the police. Individuals place calls when the car breaks down or when they get lost, and passerbys can place calls to report accidents or crimes-in-progress. Whenever we need help, cell phones give us the ability to contact friends and services, and the smartphones of recent years has enabled further protection by offering services such as GPS and internet accessibility.

While the introduction of the telephone eliminated distance as a barrier of communication, the cell phone has released people from the confines of space. The cell phone is now ingrained in our popular culture. Even more, it is drastically shifting our customs and attitudes. Now, it is not necessary to pre-decide where to meet between two people—groups can simply call each other up in real time to say where they are at in the moment. And past excuses, such as “I’m going away to Antigua for two weeks and can’t be reached there” is no longer valid. Unless, of course, the cell phone has no reception there, such as the dense Amazonian jungle or, say, the North Pole.

And with the remarkably progressing technology, cell phones display increasing sophistication and capabilities. It is now not uncommon for new phones hitting the market to have features such as cameras that rival the features and quality of digital cameras, removable memory, mp3 player, GPS, and fast wi-fi capabilities and internet access. Some even have features that include flashlights and radios, and smartphones now allow users to develop outside applications for increased functionality. As one observer wisely notes, cell phones are now becoming “your Swiss army knife.”

With this increased advances include innovative uses that have transformed the media and political landscape. Moblogging, which stands for mobile web logging, allows cell phone users to publish content to the web. Political organizers have taken full advantage of this trend. For instance, in 2000 in the Philippines, the nation’s activists mass-texted commentary about President Joseph Estrada. With increasing pressure on the administration, activists then organized huge demonstrations by using the power of texting and cell phone “trees” to call for protestors at certain locations. Estrada was forced out of office in 2001. And today, every savvy political candidate or official harnesses the power of cell phones and networking to their maximum benefit, whether it’s through routine political updates or ideas to engage swing voters.

Cell phones have changed the world by becoming a mandatory component of living and thriving in modern society. They have enriched our lives on many different levels, and continually developing technologies ensure of greater possibilities yet to come. Unquestionably, cell phones are indeed the greatest advancement for both the information and communications technology industry in the past decade. Yet they are not just a matter of radio waves and advanced electronics—they are now an integral form of human communication, and, therefore, a part of the human essence.

Essay #2: Why do you think a College/University education is important?:

As tomorrow’s future citizens, the youth of today literally hold the destiny of humanity in their hands. Therefore, the importance of a college education cannot be emphasized enough. In today’s increasingly connected world, I realize that the world of tomorrow will be a more global one, thanks in major part to technology, so it is crucial to further my understanding of other cultures through the worldly awareness that college offers. Only then can we truly hope for a more harmonious society devoid of the pain and evil that is perpetrated every day.

A college education also fosters a better and more productive future workforce. The work involved in my studies has forced me to become an independent thinker, a critical observer, and a dynamic leader, which will ultimately lead to a more educated and engaged global citizen. For instance, every day of English class compels me to consider new perspectives that I have never considered. Reading Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead fundamentally moved me to question my own set of beliefs. As an outgrowth of my greater sense of awareness due to my studies, I have learned the true value and meaning of service and civic citizenship.

Today, I am heavily involved in community service, partly because I want to impart the gift of understanding the importance of a college education to the underprivileged. Already, I am an active participant in community service, tutoring daily after school in the city, organizing food drives for the Salvation Army in the summer, and garnering hundreds of hours and winning the President’s Volunteer Service Award in the process. Yet I realized that I wanted to be more than just a participant—I wanted to take meaningful action, so I produced a grant called Exploracareer. After an extensive planning stage and the process of grant-writing and finally securing funding, I led the program as director. The program took kids from Westside, an inner-city youth center, to explore professional careers throughout the city. In each weekly session, the expert would talk about the work involved before highlighting a typical day. The ultimate goal is to inspire kids to excel in school, go on to college, and become successful professionals, away from a cycle of destructive lifestyles that haunts their impoverished communities. The program is already a phenomenal success having graduated dozens of at-risk youths, and I look forward to continuing this mission of improving the lives of global citizens, both at college and beyond.

I also consider myself to be a bright and ambitious intellectual. And what has catalyzed this? Simply my college education; whether it’s in or outside the classroom, this invaluable education has fueled me to become an insatiably curious person who does not simply want to fit the status quo. My readings in English, history, and the humanities have forced me to consider innovative ideas—such as the power of community and service to others—and apply them to my daily life. Without such classes, I would have never been exposed to the vast land of ideas that have so enriched my life. I have been able to be so moved that I apply what I have learned in daily life, from my spontaneous actions to grander endeavors such as my groundbreaking service projects.

Even in math and the sciences, my college has molded me into an independent thinker unafraid to take intellectual risks. Having taken calculus and biology, chemistry, and physics, I am now equipped to understand the world around me in a rational light. Now I can tackle any problem with vigor and confidence. In calculus class, complex mathematical concepts not only furthered my critical thinking skills, but the practical applications of these lessons are priceless gems. In science too, I literally can understand the “why” of the world around me and empowers me to gain a deeper appreciation for how life works at its most rational core. Thus, my scientific studies are incontrovertibly important because I can apply such lessons in a global context as I try to contribute to my society. Without a doubt, every second of my college education, whether it be in the humanities, the sciences, or the arts, play a definitive role in shaping me into the young adult of today. The skills and lessons learned through my college education are invaluable as I look to the future and carve out my role in this world.

Personally, completing a college degree is of paramount importance to me because I realize the value of an education in achieving my goals and dreams. Throughout my life, my parents have already stressed the necessity of attaining the best education as the road to success. As victims of the Cultural Revolution, my parents were never afforded the gift of education, and their greatest wish is to see their only daughter receive one in America, the land of opportunities. Their highest aspiration is to see me complete college, and for that, getting a degree is of supreme importance for me.

I hope to continue my growth in college and beyond as I try to carve out my part in our dynamic world and harness my passion for service into one vision for change. During college, I hope to work towards a double major of economics and international relations or development studies and attain fluency in two other languages. Afterwards, I will go on to graduate school and pursue an MBA or advanced degree in international studies or law. After my schooling, I envision myself professionally working with a nonprofit or a global development organization such as the World Bank or the United Nations Development Programme and becoming an active player in shaping the destinies of the underprivileged.

Whatever I do, I make every second extraordinary. And I aim for soaring heights as I sculpt my role for the future, but I know that wherever I am, I will always be ready to redefine the boundaries of learning and—as Gene Weingarten poignantly asks in a Washington Post social experiment involving an incognito Joshua Bell playing Bach through the D.C. rush hour—understand that the richness of every breath does transcend even “in a banal setting at an inconvenient time.” So thank you, college, for empowering me to understand and equip me for my role in society. I will forever be grateful.