Maina, Christopher

FY RD Fall Quarter 05/05/1998 CEEB: 970000 CAID: 32326089

FERPA: Waived

Profile
Personal Information
Name Maina, Christopher Musiani
Birthdate 05/05/1998
Pronouns He/Him
Gender Identity Male

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Contact Details
Email, Phone chrismaina567@gmail.com, +254.797-553-523, Mobile, +254.708850295, Mobile
Permanent Wangige Kiambu, KIAMBU, KEN
Address

Demographics
Sex Male
IE
EV
Military Status None
Hispanic or No
Latino/a/x
Race Black or African American (Africa)

Language
PR

English First Language, Speak, Read, Write, Spoken at Home

Swahili First Language, Speak, Read, Write, Spoken at Home

Geography and Nationality

Citizenship Status Citizen of non-U.S. country
Birthplace Isiolo, Kenya ( Years US, Years Non-US)
Other Citizenships Kenya
Current US Visa None
Intended US Visa F-1 Student

CA Fee Waiver
Fee Waiver
Requested

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

1 FYRD CAID: 32326089
Yes, Signed: Chris98
I have received or am eligible to receive an ACT or SAT testing fee waiver
I am enrolled in or am eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch
program (FRPL)
I am enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income
families (e.g., TRIO programs such as Upward Bound)
My family receives public assistance
I am a ward of the state or an orphan
I can provide a supporting statement from a school official, college access counselor,
financial aid officer, or community leader

W
IE
EV
PR

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

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Family
Household
Parents Widowed
Home Parent 1
Children 1

Parent 1
Mother
Name Mrs. Rissy Kh Onyango
Email, Phone chrismaina567@gmail.com, +254.715414868, Mobile

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Occupation Laborer, Unemployed
Education Some high/secondary school

Parent 2
Father
Name
Deceased:
Mr. Peter Ma Kagunyu
10/2015
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EV
Occupation Farmer or rancher, Unemployed
Education Completed grade/primary school

Siblings
PR

1. Lilian Maina, Age 27

2. Francis maina, Age 30

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

3 FYRD CAID: 32326089
Education
Current or Most Recent Secondary School
Homeschooled, Kiambu, KEN, Home school, CEEB: 970000 (02/2014 - 12/2017)
Boarding School Yes: Not Living at School
Progression Did or will not graduate, Did or will receive high school equivalency (Date equivalency
received: 12/2017), No change in progression
Exit Date 12/2017

Colleges & Universities

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Grades
Rank na / 0
GPA 3.0 / 12 , Weighted

Current or Most Recent Year Courses

First Semester
OTH/ELE - Motor Vehicle
Second Semester
IE
OTH/ELE - Motor Vehicle
EV
Mechanics - (C PREP) Mechanics - (C PREP)
PR

Future Plans
Social, welfare, or recreation worker, Masters

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

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Testing
There are no test scores to report.

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IE
EV
PR

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

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Activities
There are no activities to report.

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IE
EV
PR

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

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Writing
Personal Essay
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking?
What was the outcome?
My parents are aerospace engineers, humble even as their work helps our society explore new frontiers. They
believe that you make a stand through the work that you do, not what you say. This is what they taught me. This is
what I believed until my sophomore year when I was confronted with a moment where I could not stay quiet.

I live outside of a major city in a small, rural town that’s majority black but for a small East African population. My
high school wasn’t diverse by any standards. Some students were openly the children of skinheads. After a racist
exchange with a student who insulted him and refused to sit at the same lunch table, my best friend, who was

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Muslim, did not stand for the pledge of allegiance in homeroom the next day.

I hadn’t heard about the encounter that sparked this move on him part and was surprised when he didn’t stand up
beside me, hand against his heart, mouth chanting an oath. He hadn’t mentioned any mounting discomfort to me,

IE
nor had I noticed anything. Unlike my “patriotic” peers, I was less upset by his refusal to stand up for the pledge of
allegiance and more upset that he didn’t share with me that he was hurting and what he was going to do to protest
how he was treated because of his beliefs and the color of his skin.
EV
He was suspended for insubordination and when I called him, he said that surely in this situation I might find a way
to think of more than my own feelings. I felt ashamed. It didn’t even occur to me to seek to understand what was
behind his decision in the first place. I apologized, asking how to best support him. He said it was just important
that I listen and understand that he could not thrive in an environment that promoted sameness.He spoke to me
with a vulnerability I had never heard before. At the end of our conversation, I apologized profusely. He said he did
not need my words and what he needed from me was to take a stand.
PR

This was the opposite of the belief my parents drilled in me. I felt conflicted at first, as if by speaking about the
situation I was doing something wrong. However, my friend had to deal with a reality that I did not. And perhaps
taking a stand would allow my institution and everyone in it to learn to be a more inclusive space for everyone.
Maybe there was a way to take a stand and to do the necessary work to change things.

I started a petition with my friend’s permission to end his suspension and to take disciplinary action instead on the
student who had taken racist actions in the first place. Of the 1000 students at my high school, over 200 signed, a
number that far exceeded my expectation. When I shared the results with my friend,he said to me, “Because of
who you are, you will always have supporters. Use your power to do good.”

Since then, I have tried to be more aware that not everyone experiences comfort in the same environments that I
do. Rather than assume everyone feels safe and supported, it’s best to create space to listen and to ask how you

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

7 FYRD CAID: 32326089
can be supportive. My friend and I created a club to foster cross-cultural dialogue. In the past year two other clubs
of its kind began at other local schools. More than anything I am proud that I have learned to be a better friend and
a more thoughtful community member in a way that honors who I am and what I value.

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IE
EV
PR

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

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Education Progression
Education progression details
Did or will not graduate, Did or will receive high school equivalency (Date equivalency received: 12/2017), No
change in progression

Required Explanation
Did not graduate
I joined the high school in the year 2013 and completed the forth form in the year 2017 attaining the Certificate of
completion of Secondary School Education as per the law and Education guidelines in Kenya.

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IE
EV
PR

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

9 FYRD CAID: 32326089
Seattle University Questions
General
Preferred start Fall Quarter
term
Admission plan Regular Decision
Preferred On-campus housing
residence
Preferred testing I do not want my SAT/ACT scores to be considered for admission.
plan
School Specific #SeattleU2026
Fee Waiver

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Financial aid Yes
Foster No
Are you working No
with an
international
education agent to
help you with this
application?
Religion Anglican (Episcopal)
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EV
Academics
Please select your Film Studies
intended area of
study at Seattle
University.
PR

Are you I am not considering a preprofessional track

considering a
preprofessional
area of interest
(e.g. premedical)?
Are you a No
Washington State
Running Start
student?
Are you interested Yes
in applying to our
University Honors
program?
Honors Program I understand.
Information

Activities

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

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What activities at Community Service
Seattle University
interest you? List
in order of
preference.

Contacts
Previously applied No
Have you visited No
Seattle University?
How have you Internet College Search
learned about
Seattle University?

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List in order of
influence.
Mobile Opt in? I consent to be contacted by Seattle University at the mobile phone number provided
below.
Phone Number

Family
Sibling applied
+254.797553523

No
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Legacy Question No
Relative employed No
at member

Writing
What is it that drew you to apply to Seattle University? Where do you hope a Seattle University education
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will take you?

Seattle University and I possess a common vision.My hunger & desire is being a professional Film Producer.It is
this drive that has brought my attention to Seattle University.Participating for the first time in a full-length
international University, I'll feel more alive,more engaged,than I ever had before.Learning the complex dynamics
ranging from Film Production etc.My desire to further formalize my love in the Film Industry brings me to this
Institution.In addition to just film production,I am drawn to Seattle University for other reasons.I strive to work with
the diverse group of people that Seattle University wholeheartedly accommodates – and to also share my
mindset.They, like me, are there because Seattle University respects the value of diversity.I know from personal
experience that in order to achieve the trust,honesty and success that Seattle University values, new people are
needed to create a respectful environment for these values.I feel that my background as an African will provide an
innovative perspective in the university’s search for knowledge while helping it to develop a basis for future
success.And that, truly,is the greatest success I can achieve.On top of its growing cultural and ethnic diversity,
Seattle University is becoming a master at creating a niche for every student.I believe this University would be the
best choice to continue to nurture my love for Film Production.I have only scratched the surface in this ever
evolving field but know that the technological potential is limitless.I feel that my time at Seattle University would
make my potential similarly limitless.
Essay Prompts What is a community that you belong to and a positive change you would like to affect
within that community?

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

11 FYRD CAID: 32326089
Essay:
I live outside of a major city in a small,rural town that’s majority black population.My high school wasn’t diverse by
any standards.After a racist exchange with a student who insulted him and refused to sit at the same lunch
table,my best friend,who was Muslim,did not stand for the pledge of allegiance in homeroom the next day.He
hadn’t mentioned any mounting discomfort to me,nor had I noticed anything. Unlike my “patriotic” peers,I was less
upset by his refusal to stand up for the pledge of allegiance and more upset that he didn’t share with me that he
was hurting and what he was going to do to protest how he was treated because of his beliefs and the color of his
skin. He was suspended for insubordination and when I called him,he said that surely in this situation I might find a
way to think of more than my own feelings.And perhaps taking a stand would allow my institution and everyone in
it to learn to be a more inclusive space for everyone.I started a petition with my friend’s permission to end his
suspension.Of the 1000 students at my high school,over 200 signed,a number that far exceeded my
expectations.Since then,I have tried to be more aware that not everyone experiences comfort in the same
environments that I do.More than anything I am proud that I have learned to be a better friend and a more
thoughtful community member in a way that honors who I am and what I value.

W
Criminal History
Have you ever No
been convicted of
a felony or a gross
misdemeanor? A
conviction will not
necessarily bar
admission but will
require additional
IE
EV
documentation
prior to a decision.

Affirmations
By submitting this application, I affirm my understanding of and agreement to the statements found here:
http://www.commonapp.org/affirmations.
PR

CA Maina, Christopher CEEB: 970000 Fall Quarter

12 FYRD CAID: 32326089