Most students choose to tailor their school schedules to suit their interests, but for one senior, a full year of school just isn’t enough. Student Cassidy Noonan spent the summer of her junior year surrounded by textbooks and lecture notes. Upon entering Stanford Summer School, Noonan set herself up for success.

“I think it really motivated me to continue working hard, because I see where it can get me and also the types of people who I admire doing the same thing,” Noonan said. 

During her time at Stanford, Noonan surrounded herself herself with a group of like minded people with a similar thirst for knowledge.

“Everyone there is just amazing because they’re all so ambitious and passionate and driven to get to the same point, and it’s not like it was just a bunch of people all over the US; it was all over the world,” Noonan said.

Cassidy’s sister Kiera Noonan noticed the strength of the bonds her sister had forged.

“It seems like everyone supported each other, like when she was leaving everyone had to give her a hug and everyone had to talk to her and say their goodbyes,” Kiera said. “It wasn’t a couple of friends, it was everybody. It seems like they definitely developed a community.”   

 Noonan felt her time at Stanford will serve as a great preparation for the college experience.

“It was a great way to ease into what the freedom of college is going to be like,” Noonan said.

Noonan plans to pursue a degree in biology in the future.