I recently graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania studying Business Analytics and Management with a specialization in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and a minor in computer science.
A lot of people wonder how I got my name. My mother named me after Joseph Merrick, who emerged triumphant throughout a life of adversity. Also known as “The Elephant Man,” Joseph Merrick was shunned by society due to his physical abnormalities. However, he overcame all odds by taking advantage of what others saw as a weakness and turning it into his unique strength. My mother always admired how determined he was and how he embraced his identity, and so she named me Merrick.