Kaliyah Schimpf, a senior at Centaurus High School, is an outstanding IB student, a committed violinist in orchestra, and a competitor on the rugby field. She will bring her passion and drive to Brown University, where her achievements will continue to shine.
Throughout her years at Centaurus, Schimpf has grown tremendously in academics and in life, saying, “I have grown to be more confident and secure in myself. Doing what I want to do and what I love doing is the best thing I can do for myself, and working towards my goals helps my confidence in all aspects of my life,” showing her dedication and ability to be self independent and mature.
Though involved, she is also highly successful, with her proudest accomplishment being “getting one of the earliest recruitment spots to play Division I rugby at an Ivy League school”. Additionally, she says, “I am also really proud of my accomplishments in school, maintaining a 4.8 GPA and scoring a 1520 on the SAT, as well as in athletics. I am a three time state qualifier for wrestling, won the state championship for rugby, have been invited to play on many select side rugby teams, including one that toured in Ireland, and have placed first at multiple big mountain snowboard competitions.”
Starting college is an exciting and nerve wracking experience, and for Kaliyah, she expressed that she is “incredibly excited for the opportunity to go to Brown University next year.” and has “dreamt about going to a school like this for years. The team has been so welcoming during my visits, and the coaches are amazing. There are definitely also a lot of nerves, because it is such a big change for me, but I guess that’s what college is for.” Schimpf says she expects “it will be a lot of rugby, between practices, lifts, meetings, and games, and I know the academics will be rigorous” but remains optimistic, staying that “Brown uses an Open Curriculum, so I am hoping that in addition to studying mechanical engineering as my concentration (what Brown calls a major), I will be able to pursue my interest in violin and classical music.”
With everything she does, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. However, she still finds a way to balance her activities, academics, and social life, saying, “time management and using class time as well as possible can work wonders in freeing up time for other things,” and Schimph also knows “if I really care about an activity or sport or anything else, then I will be able to make it work with my crazy schedule.”
Another word of advice she gives to those with a tight schedule is that “when doing so many activities, you’re bound to have conflicts, and so the importance of clear communication is huge. Talking to coaches, teachers, and other adults is so important when you are balancing so much. This extends into recruitment, and academics as well.”
As Kaliyah prepares to take on the challenges and opportunities waiting for her at Brown, she carries with her the discipline, resilience, and passion that have defined her time at Centaurus. Her journey is a testament to what can be achieved through hard work, clear priorities, and a genuine love for what you do. With her drive and determination, there’s no doubt she will continue to excel and inspire wherever she goes next!
