SoP Parsons - MS Strategic Design and Management

Prompt:
How has your prior training and work experience in design, business, consulting, activism, nonprofit management or social sciences shaped your professional development? What problems or opportunities - whether personal, professional, political, etc. - do you expect to be focusing on in the coming years, and how do you expect that our program will help you in engaging constructively with those problems or in developing those opportunities? How might you contribute to the program and your student community? (max 750 words).

statement of purpose

I've always felt a strong desire to create something meaningful and impactful. Even though I can't explain why this urge exists, it has only grown stronger over time, and is one of the reasons why I want to pursue a Masters in Strategic Design and Management at Parsons.

As a teenager, I became interested in startups. To me, it represents a way to use technology to create products and services that could make a real difference. Out of my own curiosity, I started to explore the connection between design and entrepreneurship. And without even noticing it, I was already fascinated with the process of exploring problems and generating solutions that could be turned into successful businesses, which finally inspired me to become a designer.

I was thrilled to be accepted into the University of São Paulo and even more thrilled by the incredible opportunities that awaited me. Coming from a public high school in Brazil, traveling abroad always seemed like a dream far from my reality. However, the unknown drive mentioned before led me to join incredible programs such as the MIT Global Startup Labs and the Sugar Innovation Network. Through these programs, I not only had the chance to travel to places like China and Ireland, which allowed me to broaden my horizons and gain exposure to different cultures and ways of thinking, but also to develop educational solutions using design methodologies.

During college, I always had to balance work and study to financially support myself and my family. On the bright side, working with a wide range of companies, from early-stage startups to large technology enterprises, gave me valuable experience and allowed me to have a deeper understanding of different company sizes, cultures, and stages of maturity even before I graduated. This journey has taught me resilience and the importance of empathy in the workplace, as I had the opportunity to witness the challenges faced by people from diverse backgrounds.

I'm also the first volunteer mentor in the Design in Social Contexts program, which focuses on design-driven problem-solving in complex social contexts. The program offered through a partnership between MIT and Insper since 2019 addresses critical social and environmental issues and has the potential to facilitate the development of impactful projects during winter vacation in Brazil. This experience has strengthened my collaborative skills, as I worked closely with others to develop innovative solutions to pressing problems.

All of these experiences allowed me to define my main goal: starting my own company, using design education to enable social leaders to build sustainable and socially responsible businesses that create long-term value for their communities. To do so, I plan to provide training and mentorship on sustainable business models, as well as facilitate co-creation processes that involve community members in the design and implementation of these models.

Also, I aim to offer services in order to support established companies in adopting social and sustainable business practices, such as reducing their carbon footprint and incorporating diversity and inclusion into their operations.

Until now, my professional background has focused primarily on the fields of user experience and digital product development. I am confident that The New School's MS in Strategic Design and Management program will provide me with practical skills to address design processes in a business innovation landscape and help me achieve my final goals.

I am absolutely amazed to have the opportunity to learn from Professor Rhea Alexander, whose work in "Future Pathways for Design-Driven Entrepreneurship" has had a profound impact on me. Reading her paper helped me to critically think about the social and cultural implications of entrepreneurship, and I am excited to delve further into this topic under her guidance.

As a Brazilian with diverse experience working with startups and established companies, I can bring a unique perspective. I look forward to collaborating with my peers at The New School, learning from them and contributing to ELAB initiatives that strive to create a more sustainable and socially responsible future.

In conclusion, I am confident that The New School's Masters in Strategic Design and Management program will equip me with the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve my goals and make a meaningful impact in the field. I am excited to join the Parsons community and embark on a journey towards creating a better world.

The writing in this work references you personal resume rather than a direct and proper focus on the given discussion scenarios. Therefore, the screener will not be interested in reading the rest of this paper after he finishes the first paragraph. Your personal background, unless directly related to the required topic points, should not be seen this presentation. You have not given much thought to actually tying in the full information requirements of the essay into your information writing. That is why the essay does not work well as a statement of purpose. You also do not reveal any actual information as to why you would be an asset to the university and why you believe the university can help you. Basically, the essay does not work for a masters course applicant. A situation that occurred because you failed to keep track of your responses in relation to the information requirements of the screener as listed for your guidance.