Real People Profile Mashup
by David Hoffman
Have you ever used Microsoft Word's "Autosummarize" feature? It assigns a score to each sentence in a document (based on whether it contains words used frequently in the document), then uses the scores to produce a summary. As summaries of the content, these "autosummaries" tend to be awful. But sometimes they can produce interesting combinations and sequences of ideas: a kind of machine poetry.
Have you ever used Microsoft Word's "Autosummarize" feature? It assigns a score to each sentence in a document (based on whether it contains words used frequently in the document), then uses the scores to produce a summary. As summaries of the content, these "autosummaries" tend to be awful. But sometimes they can produce interesting combinations and sequences of ideas: a kind of machine poetry.
I took the last three years of Real People Profiles (136 of them), cut and pasted each person's answer to the question 'What's the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?' into a single Microsoft Word document, "autosummarized'" it to 25% its original length, then "autosummarized" the summary to 10% of its original length. Here is the result: More than 11,000 words boiled down to less than 300 representing, in an odd and very unscientific way, the collected wisdom of the UMBC community.
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So what's the most important thing I've learned at UMBC?
I've learned that your college experience isn't determined by which college you go to but rather how involved you are. I have learned many things about different cultures. So I've learned to talk less and listen much more.
The most important thing I have learned at UMBC is that anything is possible. I've also learned that it's never too late to change or make a change!
Those life experiences changed everything for me.
The most important thing I have learned at UMBC is to get involved! Sometimes you learn more outside of the classroom then you could ever dream of learning within.
Being at UMBC/college has helped me become more well-rounded. College is full of opportunities to learn, but even more importantly, college is where YOU as a person truly grow. Throughout my time here at UMBC, I've learned lifelong lessons, met lifelong friends, made lifelong commitments...all that good stuff.
I have learned my strengths and weaknesses.
The most memorable thing that I have learned in college was shared by Dr. Hrabowski:
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
In college I learned that finding the humor in everything is key to a healthy life.
The most important thing I have learned at UMBC is to make the most of your experience here. UMBC students are smart and driven.
I have learned two things at UMBC that have completely changed the way I approach life. Firstly, I learned who I am. I have learned opportunities are always available for you at UMBC.
There is so much more to learn.
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Co-Create UMBC is a blog for and about UMBC, written by David Hoffman and Craig Berger from Student Life. Join the Co-Create UMBC group on MyUMBC. Like Co-Create UMBC on Facebook. And follow David and Craig on Twitter.
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Co-Create UMBC is a blog for and about UMBC, written by David Hoffman and Craig Berger from Student Life. Join the Co-Create UMBC group on MyUMBC. Like Co-Create UMBC on Facebook. And follow David and Craig on Twitter.
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Posted: February 24, 2014, 10:54 AM