May 4, 2008 - 12:14AM

By ANSLEE WILLETT

SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

One of Mollie DiBrell's favorite activities is cheerleading.

"When I see the audience enjoying a performance I get a surge of euphoria and a feeling of pride that nothing else can compare," she said.

DiBrell's bubbly personality throws off some people - including two college physicists interviewing her last year for a summer job as a lab assistant at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

She turned in what she calls a "top-notch application" and a recommendation letter highlighting her class load, including several honors and advanced placement chemistry and math classes. She got a call to interview.

"I anticipated the negative reaction the two physicists would have when I walked in for my interview and my transcript was associated with my face," she said.

"When I entered the interview, the physicists' reaction was almost exactly as I had suspected, and I was acutely aware of their examination of my curled hair, painted nails and make-up."

One of them handed her a piece of metal and asked her what it was. It was too heavy to be aluminum, she told them, so she presumed it was zinc.

"I proved I wasn't a complete loss," she said.

They quizzed her more, but one appeared unconvinced.

"His skepticism increased when I spoke of other summer plans. I mistakenly mentioned I was the cheerleading captain and would attend cheerleading camp," she said. "This overshadowed my other plans, including a week I would spend at Notre Dame, being recognized by the Colorado School of Mines and my plans of double majoring in physics and aerospace engineering."

DiBrell, 17, landed the job a day later.

"I did not hide my true self in the interview and, likewise, I am proud of my decision to lead such a balanced life even if I must battle stereotyping along the way."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=809138&forum_id=1#9736722)