It all started with Legos. "I’ve always kind of been into Legos so my whole childhood I was hearing, ‘oh, you should be an engineer.'" His journey took shape when he realized that his love for problem-solving could address real issues in his own community. Growing up on the East Coast, Cleatus saw his community face serious environmental challenges. His teachers encouraged him to explore chemical engineering as a way to channel his interests in chemistry, physics, and sustainability. In high school, Cleatus discovered his passion for chemistry. But it wasn’t until his junior year, when he took his first engineering elective, that the pieces fully clicked.

That advice stuck, and piece by piece he began building real solutions. By junior year, Cleatus had launched an independent research project through his school’s R.A.D. (Research and Development) program.

Through this research, Cleatus took his niche interest beyond the classroom. It's something that college admissions can't deny when looking for students to not only learn from their institutions, but make meaningful impact and apply what they learn.

Cleatus’s advice for students is simple:

His story is a reminder that passions don’t always start off fully formed. Sometimes you have to build them, brick by brick. Once you start investing in what excites you, the right commitments can actually help you manage time, instead of draining it. This open-minded approach led him to join cross country and track.

Cleatus found clarity by committing to the right things. The structure gave him the stability he needed to focus, and that focus gave him direction. His passions were built through intentional exploration, consistent effort, and a willingness to master the systems he worked within.

Cleatus is both a builder and a deep diver. He’s the kind of student who not only loves to create but chooses to master the science behind what he builds. His story started with Legos, but it quickly evolved into independent research projects where he applied complex chemical engineering principles to real-world environmental challenges. As a Tinker, Cleatus thrives in hands-on environments by designing, testing, and problem-solving through direct experimentation. Cleatus’s story is about skills, solutions, and sustainable systems that serve his community. As a Specialist, he has already carved out a focused niche in water management and polymer research, showing the kind of depth that selective engineering schools are actively seeking. Colleges need students like Cleatus who can build, test, and stick with a problem long enough to solve it. Colleges need students like Cleatus: not just thinkers, but doers. His work with super absorbent polymers in water treatment is just the beginning of a career built on testing, creating, and refining innovative technologies.

Cleatus didn’t just dabble in his interests—he constructed a clear, focused path rooted in purpose and practice. His portfolio reflects not just passion, but persistence and intentionality: He launched an independent research project on super absorbent polymers through his school’s RAD program, exploring their potential for water management and environmental sustainability. He pursued chemical engineering with a mission to solve environmental problems he witnessed firsthand in his East Coast community. He balanced academic rigor with athletic consistency, running cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track every year of high school. He made thoughtful decisions about college by researching engineering programs in-depth and choosing Caltech for its research opportunities, strong alumni network, and alignment with his goals. Cleatus’s pursuits had significant depth and overlap. These connections conveyed a cohesive candidate with both aspiration and agency, clearly demonstrating who he was and what he might become at Caltech.

Community-Centered Problem Solving —Cleatus focused on real challenges he saw around him and used his technical skills to engage with issues affecting his own community. Growth Through Exploration —He found his passion by staying open and following his curiosity until it led to something meaningful. Structure Enables Balance —Committing to year-round athletics gave him community, discipline, and the focus to sustain other long-term projects.