![\"Mervyn](\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/adv\/alumni-news-media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/MW0125623UR_0034_544x722.jpg\")
Mervyn Winn ’26<\/p><\/div>\n
A few years ago at the height of the pandemic, Mervyn Winn \u201926\u2014one of the Black Alumni Network\u2019s first two scholarship recipients\u2014was a high school sophomore with some time on his hands. That\u2019s when he started watching Korean prank videos, which are popular on YouTube and social media.<\/p>\n
Winn thought these videos were really funny and well done. His appreciation for them prompted a curiosity about the Korean language and culture, one that became so strong that he decided to learn Korean, which he’s been doing completely on his own through self-study.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Korean language made sense to me from the beginning,\u201d says Winn, who started piecing together sentences very quickly. \u201cI\u2019m drawn to systems and patterns, like the ones I see in the Korean language. Learning Korean isn\u2019t like studying for me either\u2014it\u2019s just fun.<\/p>\n
Language fascination<\/strong><\/h4>\nWinn\u2019s continued learning Korean as a first-year Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ student. He took one class in the fall and is taking another one right now. He also spends a lot of time at the Language Center within Frederick Douglass Commons, where he practices his Korean with a peer tutor. Some evenings, Winn participates in an online conversation exchange with English and Korean speakers from around the world. Together, they practice their conversational language skills while learning about each other and their cultures.<\/p>\n
Winn is fascinated by all sorts of languages, too, including computer language. \u201cThere\u2019s a huge intersection between computers and language, and I\u2019m excited to be here at Rochester where I can explore both,\u201d he adds, noting that he\u2019s interested in taking a computational linguistics class. Before starting to learn Korean, Winn even taught himself computer programming, an interest that grew out of a youthful enthusiasm for video games. He\u2019s even considering majoring in it.<\/p>\n
Growing up<\/strong><\/h4>\nWinn grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and started gaming when he was about eight years old. \u201cI grew up pretty poor and my neighborhood wasn\u2019t the safest,\u201d he says. \u201cMy sister, brother, and I didn\u2019t play outside much. Because of that, my brother and I got really close playing video games together, which is what launched my interest in computer science.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everything about gaming fascinated Winn. \u201cWhen I was 10 years old, I begged my mom to take me to the Barnes & Noble near where she worked,\u201d he says. \u201cI wanted to get this one particular 2D game design book so I could teach myself how to make my own computer games.\u201d Fortunately for Winn, his mom got him that book. After reading it, he made his first mini 2D game, which featured flat graphics, which means that players can typically just move up and down as well as left and right. Winn loved it and wanted to learn more.<\/p>\n
As a junior in high school, Winn was accepted into a summer coding program for underrepresented youth hosted by Goldman Sachs, the investment banking company. He and a small group of young, knowledge-hungry, self-motivated students spent five weeks building an expense management app together. \u201cThat was such a cool experience,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd, even though I hadn\u2019t taken any formal classes in coding or computer science up until then,, my interest continued to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
His Rochester experience<\/strong><\/h4>\nWhen Winn started thinking about college, he knew he wanted to go somewhere that had a strong computer science program. His high school counselor told him about the URochester. Winn liked what he learned about Rochester. He was drawn to its strong computer science program, the variety of language classes offered, the open curriculum, and the number of international students on campus. He wanted to meet people from diverse backgrounds and, now that he\u2019s here, he\u2019s been doing just that. Some of his best friends are from Germany, China, Africa, and, not surprisingly, Korea.<\/p>\n
Winn is excited for his future at Rochester. He hopes to pursue undergraduate research, get an internship, and study abroad. In the meantime, he\u2019s taking it all in. When he isn\u2019t in class, studying, online, or honing his Korean, he can be found at the Goergen Athletic Center working out, enjoying a sub from Rocky\u2019s in the Pitt, or doing something fun with friends off-campus. He is also part of the Korean Student Association, a group with whom he enjoys Korean food nights, playing games, and singing karaoke.<\/p>\n
With gratitude<\/strong><\/h4>\nWinn is grateful to the Black Alumni Network for its support. \u201cThis scholarship is an honor, and it helps make the cost of college less of a burden for me and my mom,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve been given something like this, too, which is really humbling.\u201d Winn is also grateful to his mother for working hard to make college possible for him. During school breaks, he takes the eight-hour Amtrak train ride home to visit and, every week, he FaceTime\u2019s his mom. \u201cShe misses me a lot but is proud and really happy I\u2019m here,\u201d he adds. \u201cSo am I.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” background_color=”#ffffff” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” background_color=”#00205b” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
The Black Alumni Network<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nLearn more and get involved in our Black Alumni Network<\/a>\u2014an inclusive leadership organization that seeks to empower, connect, and celebrate the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Black Community. The network encourages communication and cooperation between alumni, students, friends, faculty, and staff who are committed to the advancement of people of the African diaspora. It also fosters a network for personal and professional connection and provides a sense of community and family for alumni of color. Contact Ghislaine Radegonde-Eison<\/a> for more information.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]Photo: Matt Wittmeyer<\/em><\/p>\n
Winn grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and started gaming when he was about eight years old. \u201cI grew up pretty poor and my neighborhood wasn\u2019t the safest,\u201d he says. \u201cMy sister, brother, and I didn\u2019t play outside much. Because of that, my brother and I got really close playing video games together, which is what launched my interest in computer science.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everything about gaming fascinated Winn. \u201cWhen I was 10 years old, I begged my mom to take me to the Barnes & Noble near where she worked,\u201d he says. \u201cI wanted to get this one particular 2D game design book so I could teach myself how to make my own computer games.\u201d Fortunately for Winn, his mom got him that book. After reading it, he made his first mini 2D game, which featured flat graphics, which means that players can typically just move up and down as well as left and right. Winn loved it and wanted to learn more.<\/p>\n
As a junior in high school, Winn was accepted into a summer coding program for underrepresented youth hosted by Goldman Sachs, the investment banking company. He and a small group of young, knowledge-hungry, self-motivated students spent five weeks building an expense management app together. \u201cThat was such a cool experience,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd, even though I hadn\u2019t taken any formal classes in coding or computer science up until then,, my interest continued to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
His Rochester experience<\/strong><\/h4>\nWhen Winn started thinking about college, he knew he wanted to go somewhere that had a strong computer science program. His high school counselor told him about the URochester. Winn liked what he learned about Rochester. He was drawn to its strong computer science program, the variety of language classes offered, the open curriculum, and the number of international students on campus. He wanted to meet people from diverse backgrounds and, now that he\u2019s here, he\u2019s been doing just that. Some of his best friends are from Germany, China, Africa, and, not surprisingly, Korea.<\/p>\n
Winn is excited for his future at Rochester. He hopes to pursue undergraduate research, get an internship, and study abroad. In the meantime, he\u2019s taking it all in. When he isn\u2019t in class, studying, online, or honing his Korean, he can be found at the Goergen Athletic Center working out, enjoying a sub from Rocky\u2019s in the Pitt, or doing something fun with friends off-campus. He is also part of the Korean Student Association, a group with whom he enjoys Korean food nights, playing games, and singing karaoke.<\/p>\n
With gratitude<\/strong><\/h4>\nWinn is grateful to the Black Alumni Network for its support. \u201cThis scholarship is an honor, and it helps make the cost of college less of a burden for me and my mom,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve been given something like this, too, which is really humbling.\u201d Winn is also grateful to his mother for working hard to make college possible for him. During school breaks, he takes the eight-hour Amtrak train ride home to visit and, every week, he FaceTime\u2019s his mom. \u201cShe misses me a lot but is proud and really happy I\u2019m here,\u201d he adds. \u201cSo am I.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” background_color=”#ffffff” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” background_color=”#00205b” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
The Black Alumni Network<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nLearn more and get involved in our Black Alumni Network<\/a>\u2014an inclusive leadership organization that seeks to empower, connect, and celebrate the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Black Community. The network encourages communication and cooperation between alumni, students, friends, faculty, and staff who are committed to the advancement of people of the African diaspora. It also fosters a network for personal and professional connection and provides a sense of community and family for alumni of color. Contact Ghislaine Radegonde-Eison<\/a> for more information.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]Photo: Matt Wittmeyer<\/em><\/p>\n
Winn is grateful to the Black Alumni Network for its support. \u201cThis scholarship is an honor, and it helps make the cost of college less of a burden for me and my mom,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve been given something like this, too, which is really humbling.\u201d Winn is also grateful to his mother for working hard to make college possible for him. During school breaks, he takes the eight-hour Amtrak train ride home to visit and, every week, he FaceTime\u2019s his mom. \u201cShe misses me a lot but is proud and really happy I\u2019m here,\u201d he adds. \u201cSo am I.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” background_color=”#ffffff” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” background_color=”#00205b” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n