Undergraduate / NYU SCPS - Kick in the Teeth [4]

Prompt: The Admissions Committee wants to learn more about you. Please submit a typewritten statement of at least 350 words that describes
anything about you that you think we should know. When reviewing your personal statement, we hope to understand what you have learned
from your experiences and how you have arrived at this point of interest in applying to McGhee.

"All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me . . . You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." - Walt Disney

My wife wrote these words on a set of index card she sent to me to countdown my last deployment; however, I never really understood their context until now. Since my honorable discharge from the Navy in 2008, I've been working towards seeking admission to a four-year university to complete my bachelors degree in preparation for a career as veterans rights advocate.

Throughout my academic journey, I've encountered many challenges. Experiences from my time in the service scared my psyche; however, with the assistance of my care providers, I'm free from its debilitating grasp. I've witnessed the ugly face of unemployment first-hand and the difficulties of translating my military experiences to the needs of corporate America, I also realized the push to hire "heroes" only applies to those with college degrees.

Despite these difficulties, my passion to help veterans in need hasn't waned. In fact, these challenges have only solidified my desire to change how veterans reintegrate into society. I've learned to view life's "roadblocks" as challenges that provide me the opportunity to grow as an individual, as a result I've found my purpose in life. This is why I am ready to attend New York University.

The Paul McGhee Division of NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies is an excellent fit because of its rigorous and stimulating curricula, enabling me to acquire valuable critical and analytical skills needed to transform the way returning veterans integrate back into society. Studying with like-minded cohorts and professors will provide me with necessary intellectual insight to energize and transform veteran transition programs by finding ways to address the emotional, psychological, social and professional barriers many veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life.

In essence, earning a degree from NYU not only benefits me - it provides the cornerstone to transforms the lives of hundreds of veterans. By taking courses such as Psychology and Culture, Language and Society, and Cities and Urban Life, I hope to find ways to solve the staggering unemployment problem affecting many of our nation's veterans. My studies will not only satisfy my intellectual curiosity, they will also serve to deepen my understanding of the world - providing powerful tools to make sense of the divide between military and civilian culture. My education will ensure future veterans will not have to face hardships I faced when leaving the military.

As Disney said, a kicked in the teeth has been the best thing to happen to me. I've worked hard to overcome challenges to complete my education. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I've directed my frustration into a productive endeavor. NYU is the next step in my journey toward helping others and making my passion my profession.

Undergraduate / The Brink of Insanity on a Submarine (University of Washington Transfer Essay) [5]

Any comments and suggestion are appreciated.

Living onboard a submarine can drive a man insane. That is exactly what my wife thought when I unexpectedly announced I was done with the Navy. She thought my decision was rather impetuous, since I had no real plans for life after the Navy. I told her things have a way of falling into place for me. She called it a leap of faith; I saw it as a calculated move to get ahead in life. After 13 years I was done with the extended deployments and time away from home. Burnt out physically and emotionally I was ready to move on to other endeavors. The months leading to my decision where extremely difficult times for my family; my stepfather had a major stoke and my father, whom I had just reestablished a relationship with after 15 years, died. I fell into a deep funk, and began to question my calling in life. Luckily I went on a 6-month deployment, which allowed me to clear my head without the distractions of everyday life.

Life onboard a submarine is anything but routine, 18-hour days and very little sleep were a regular occurrence. Often I would lay awake in my 2' x3'x 6' coffin style bunk, reminiscing about the past and pondering my future. To alleviate my insomnia I rediscovered an old hobby, reading. I started with science fiction and horror novels and short stories, but quickly grew bored of both genres. Then, one of my shipmates introduced me to Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche.

I was hesitant to read the book at first, like most people I had some misconceptions about Nietzsche and associated his work with anarchism and the teachings of the Third Reich. I was immediately impressed with themes of the story; self-mastery to achieve his full potential, the concept of eternal return, and will to power.

I never realized how powerful a book could be and the profound effect it would have on my life. I did a lot of self-analysis and upon returning to port, immediately enrolled myself in a program offered by the military to find my educational and personnel interest and match them to a major. I wanted to maximize my full potential. After taking a battery of test the anthropology came up repeatedly.

Anthropology was not really the field I had hoped for; I was expecting along the lines of engineering or business. Disregarding my educational advisors advice I enrolled in an online degree engineering technology program shortly after my discharge from the military, I quickly realized that online education was not for me and after one course withdrew from Devry.

Last spring I took class in Biological Anthropology, getting my first taste of anthropology. Human evolution and genetic diversity has always been a fascinating subject to me. Before the course I never realized how many academic disciplines were involved in the study of anthropology, not only did I have to know anthropology, knowledge about geology, biology, and sociology proved to be invaluable. This cleared any misconceptions I had regarding anthropology just being about studying bones and fragments of broken pottery. After the course I developed a greater appreciation for anthropology, but I was still not ready to commit to it.

It was not until I sat down with Dr. Hartse, my anthropology professor, that I gained a deeper understanding of what anthropology truly is. Unlike other academic fields, anthropology does not have clear-cut rules or ideals, instead anthropologist rely on observing different cultures and people, studying their subjects for who they really are rather than how they think they should be, for that is the only way to get a full picture of what it means to be human. She also explained to me that anthropology helps bring the world into focus, helping people understand other cultures and societies and at the same time understanding how the over six billion people living on this planet interconnect in one way or another. I knew after that meeting anthropology was the field for me.

It seemed like the more I resisted anthropology the more it drew me in. Anthropology allows me to experience and explore new realities, whether by learning other languages, examining different cultures, or simply traveling the world. Through my travels, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the wonderful differences between different cultures. I have learned that it only takes one person to make a difference in the world and that I want to be that catalyst for change. In our society, tolerance is simply not enough. Instead, I want to encourage others to accept our cultural diversity and explore other realities, and I believe that the University of Washington will put me on that path.