I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. My name is Alisha, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as a recent Stony Brook University graduate with a B.A. in Computer Science, Digital Media Arts, and Sociology. I am writing to express my deep admiration for your company's mission and projects, as I strongly believe in what you are doing and the projects you have created.
Your innovative project, "Virtual Reality Program: Heartrate Biofeedback Based on Science/Art Research and Development," is truly inspiring. It aligns perfectly with my interests and skill set. I have a strong background in computer science and digital media arts, and I firmly believe in the potential of technology to improve human well-being and foster mindfulness. I had an early interest in game design and immersive technologies, as in many ways the gaming industry is a pioneer in creating immersive experiences. Recently, I volunteered at the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture, and there is a section for Indie games, but what was really interesting was that the games were all first-person historical perspective based so in one you got to experience the life of an internment camp survivor, or war soldier. I found that these types of exercises create healthy human connections to others and build empathy which is something needed in a time where social media can make reality more isolating.
The initiative "Awere," which combines deep breathing, games, and VR breathing practices to boost the immune system, is a testament to your commitment to wellness and holistic approaches. My background in sociology has enabled me to understand the profound impact of mental and physical well-being on individuals and communities. During my time at Stony Brook University, I developed and am still developing a wellness app that generates trends, as mental health is also an important motif for me. I was a member of the Buddhist Meditation Club at my college, where we would attend retreats held by monks at the Dharma Retreat Center in upstate New York, and these journeys taught me a lot about perseverance and discipline, which I hope to carry into my professional life. I learned Kabbalah mediation under Rabbi Adam Stein at the Stony Brook Hospital because I wanted to learn a different type of meditative practice and how denominational rituals can correlate to wellness. It was a very unique experience, especially as a Goan-Indian first-generation immigrant myself, I learned Indian meditation from my grandmother, who is a Pranic healer, and then the juxtaposition of that with Jewish meditation was eye-opening. At the end of the day, no matter where you are, who you are, or where you come from, your breath is yours. And gaining control of that is so powerful.
Another project that deeply resonates with me is "SEAing Breath," focusing on educational experiences about sea level rise and climate change. As an environmental activist at heart, I believe in the power of education to drive positive change. I envision collaborating with your team to create engaging and informative experiences that raise awareness about these critical issues and inspire action for a sustainable future. This project also reminded me of the Indie game exhibit at the museum because you are creating enlightening experiences with important messages.
Lastly, the project "heARt," which centers on clinical data visualization for efficient patient care, showcases your company's commitment to advancing technology for the betterment of healthcare. My multidisciplinary background in computer science and digital media arts equips me with the skills to contribute to this project's success. I am currently interning for LogicMatter, a data analytics company that generates reports for healthcare facilities’ air emissions, where I have learned about the importance of sanitized and clean air when it comes to patient safety. I am enthusiastic about leveraging data visualization techniques to enhance patient care.
You would be an incredible mentor to work under, and I resonate a lot with your message and visions, even down to the intentional capitalizations in your project names such as “hOMe” or “heARt” as those stylistic nuances are something I would do, and working under someone who greatly inspires me and aligns with what I believe in and want to take part in would be an honor. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss in more detail how I can contribute to your company's continued success. I also wanted to include a quote I heard recently I cannot get out of my head, “
Warmly,
Alisha Hegde
“People seem to think I’m into nature, but I’m not really. Is a fish into the ocean like its own environment is a weekend hobby? This way of talking about our world as if it’s something you can choose to be interested in is the beginning of our disconnection. We seem to have come to a mutual agreement that gaps of space separate things but if I rely on this tree for its oxygen and it relies on me for my CO2, is there really a gap between us? We don’t actually live in a world of objects with gaps between them, we live in a lovely, thick soup of energy and the only separation is in our language. You see, it’s not some pure stroke of luck that we happen to find ourselves on a planet where we can drink the water, breathe the air, and eat the plants. It’s just that there’s no other possible way it could be. We’ve arisen mutually with the plants and everything else so of course they feed and heal us because we’ve come out of this earth, not into it and she’s eagerly anticipating our reconnection to remind us of what we’ve forgotten, that we’re from here and we always have been, and we always will be. So no one’s “into nature” we’re just all it.”
@urfromere