"Find what you love and love it deeply" - Public administration statement of purpose

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Leadership has been a global issue of concern. There is a direct correlation between leadership and development. Good organizational leadership and management translate into good policies, hence sustainable development. The study of public administration has global recognition, for grooming good leaders and managers who bring about sustainable development. This realization deepens my passion for a master's in public administration, specializing in the non-profit sector. My career and personal goal is to become a manager of an international non-profit organization, executing the best leadership practices and policies, professionally.

"Find what you love and love it deeply." These words of my father have been the source of motivation for many of my life choices, including personal and educational. Indeed, I have a great deal of passion for the things I love. A graduate degree in public administration is no exception. This desire was fueled by a personal assessment of where my academic and career passions synchronized.

Growing up in Ghana allowed me to see the developmental progress that non-profit agencies brought to communities by addressing pressing social issues and giving back to society; this is my passion! The knowledge gained from a master's degree in public administration will help make my passion a reality. Through academics, fieldwork and personal efforts, I believe I can devote my career in the non-profit sector to improving the lives of many young women especially in Ghana. My specific goal is to be involved with the administration and management of projects within a non-profit organization, focusing on women empowerment and leadership in Africa.

I obtained my bachelor's degree in political science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. My undergraduate study exposed me to courses like organizational theory, research methods, statistics, governance, political development, and public policy. These courses comprehensively demonstrated the relationship between politics, policy, and leadership. There by preparing me for graduate study in the field of public administration. Moreover, my thorough understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods of social science has almost invariably propelled me to pursue graduate study in both coursework and research.

Working with a non-profit organization: Training Tomorrow's Leaders, which aims at improving the standard of living of inhabitants of rural communities through the provision of potable drinking water, educational supplies, and entrepreneurial skills for the youth, gave me some experience in project coordination, management, budgeting, and fund-raising, among others. Hopefully, this graduate study will add-on to my theoretical and practical experience, hence preparing me on the scope of non-profit management, administration and organizational leadership in general.

The master's in public administration at the Northern Arizona University, is internationally renowned for their pioneering research performed by its faculty, top tier curriculum and diversity friendly academic environment. Having read some of the scholarly works of Alan Wood, Ph.D. and Jill Young Ph.D. it would be a joyous opportunity to work with either of these professors, as well as Northern Arizona University's numerous internationally recognized scholars.

As a child, I had nurtured inordinate ambition to visit the Grand Canyon Site for leisure. Therefore, an acceptance into your reputable university will help me visit one of the amazing and interesting places to behold in the world; The Grand Canyon!

I would be very glad if given an opportunity to pursue a master's in public administration from such an institution of impressive global reputation. It is my fervent wish that this statement will motivate you to accept me into your program.

Vallas, I'd suggest that you remove the second paragraph from where it is. Such paragraphs are most suitable as essay introductions. Moreover, please, consider removing the paragraph preceding the last paragraph. The opportunity to visit "the Grand Canyon" if accepted into a master's program might sound interesting, but it doesn't have a place in a "good statement of purpose"; It may not leave a good impression on the admission team who will review your essay. For the last paragraph, you might want to talk about your skills and abilities, or perhaps, your achievements (could be leadership or personal) which you think makes you a suitable candidate for the master's course.

The fact that you want to work with Alan Wood and Jill Young because of their fantastic works is awesome. However, not talking explicitly about the parts of their works which fascinates you so much to want to work with them might make you sound unrealistic.

Valentina, your statement of purpose actually lacks a purpose because you did not focus on a proper academic and professional discussion that would have done that for this essay. The purpose of the essay is not about your passion for your work. That falls under your motivation. The purpose, for all intents and purposes, asks you to address a particular situation that you feel needs resolving in Ghana in the field of Public administration. Therefore, the discussion should focus on the foundation of your interests as a college student, along with a related thesis or internship discussion. A relevant thesis discussion would be more appropriate in this instance because public administration needs to be see from an early interest stand point. What particular public administration problem in Ghana do you hope to address upon the completion of this course? Why is it important to you that this problem be resolved? How will the lessons you learn in the course be applied to the problem?

Your father's statement, as well as the portion about the Grand Canyon are misplaced in this essay. These are irrelevant discussions not related to the purpose of your study. If part of your study purpose is to become an tourist in American then let me tell you now, you will not get admitted into the university for any reason. As for the reference to the university, you don't really showcase a personal purpose for your choice other than what you researched on the internet. With regards to the reference to particular professors, if you are not attending this program under a mentor program, mentioning these professors will not be useful to your essay either. You could however, mention these professors in reference to your university choice as a manner of having been inspired by their work and hoping to be trained in their mold as the reason for your university choice.