ashepherd62
Dec 28, 2015
Graduate / Personal Statement, Master of Public Policy, Baruch College, reviews and critiques welcome! [2]
Throughout my time as an undergrad I struggled to find a particular cause or campaign that I truly wanted to champion. I knew from the beginning I wanted to work in public service, but had no idea in what capacity. I began my undergrad career as an International Affairs major but within my first year of classes I had already switched to a major in Political Science, not from a lack of passion in IA, but a desire for knowledge in all things politics. By the end of my four years of undergrad I had taken so many courses of each that I ended up earning a major in each, but still had yet to settle in on a particular passion. I was pulled in a number of directions from education to U.S. foreign policy, but it wasn't until my final semester of undergrad that I found the start of the path I wished to pursue.
In an American Politics course, I found my answer, political gridlock and party polarization in Washington were the topics of the day, I wondered throughout the lesson why so few people seemed willing to pursue the middle ground. I pursued this question and looked to career paths that would lead me into a position to effectively be the answer. This research led me to Baruch College, and a program that would provide me with the tools to lead and create policy that would benefit the constituents first, and be beneficial for both sides of the aisle.
For over 15 years I've been involved with the Boy Scouts of America in a number of roles; as a scout, an employee, and now currently as an adult leader and advisor. Over the years this organization has provided me with both a strong sense of morality as well as the initial desire to work in public service. Additionally, it's given me an outlet to work to support my community. Being an assistant scout master has allowed me the opportunity to work with the youth of my hometown, to help provide them the same moral grounding and confidence I received as a youth. Even as just a part time leader I'm able to create such a positive impact in my local community. I know I'm capable of helping impacting my community on a much larger scale and I know that becoming a positive influencer of public policy would be one of the most beneficial things I could do for my community and nation as a whole.
These experiences have led me to Baruch College and the Master of Public Administration program, with a specialty in Public Policy, where I'll be able to a have an analytical and practical grounding in policy making process. The MPA program partnered with Baruch's location in the heart of New York City, create the perfect environment to provide me with the tools to become an expert in public policy. With hundreds of thousands of Public Affairs professionals in New York it's made Baruch College an easy choice for an advanced degree. In addition to the location and opportunities that it provides, Baruch's different centers and institutes such as the Center on Equality, Pluralism and Policy, give a wealth of resources to be able to share and expand new ideas, creating an environment at the forefront of policy ideas.
Equipped with the education and technical skill from Baruch College I know that I would be able to lead policy creation and thought that could truly benefit people at every level of government. I hope to work with legislators and policy experts to create policy that is able to bridge the gap in the aisle and able to help constituents of these legislators, whether that be at a local, state, or national level. I truly believe that Baruch College would be the best place for me to make a positive difference in policy.
Throughout my time as an undergrad I struggled to find a particular cause or campaign that I truly wanted to champion. I knew from the beginning I wanted to work in public service, but had no idea in what capacity. I began my undergrad career as an International Affairs major but within my first year of classes I had already switched to a major in Political Science, not from a lack of passion in IA, but a desire for knowledge in all things politics. By the end of my four years of undergrad I had taken so many courses of each that I ended up earning a major in each, but still had yet to settle in on a particular passion. I was pulled in a number of directions from education to U.S. foreign policy, but it wasn't until my final semester of undergrad that I found the start of the path I wished to pursue.
In an American Politics course, I found my answer, political gridlock and party polarization in Washington were the topics of the day, I wondered throughout the lesson why so few people seemed willing to pursue the middle ground. I pursued this question and looked to career paths that would lead me into a position to effectively be the answer. This research led me to Baruch College, and a program that would provide me with the tools to lead and create policy that would benefit the constituents first, and be beneficial for both sides of the aisle.
For over 15 years I've been involved with the Boy Scouts of America in a number of roles; as a scout, an employee, and now currently as an adult leader and advisor. Over the years this organization has provided me with both a strong sense of morality as well as the initial desire to work in public service. Additionally, it's given me an outlet to work to support my community. Being an assistant scout master has allowed me the opportunity to work with the youth of my hometown, to help provide them the same moral grounding and confidence I received as a youth. Even as just a part time leader I'm able to create such a positive impact in my local community. I know I'm capable of helping impacting my community on a much larger scale and I know that becoming a positive influencer of public policy would be one of the most beneficial things I could do for my community and nation as a whole.
These experiences have led me to Baruch College and the Master of Public Administration program, with a specialty in Public Policy, where I'll be able to a have an analytical and practical grounding in policy making process. The MPA program partnered with Baruch's location in the heart of New York City, create the perfect environment to provide me with the tools to become an expert in public policy. With hundreds of thousands of Public Affairs professionals in New York it's made Baruch College an easy choice for an advanced degree. In addition to the location and opportunities that it provides, Baruch's different centers and institutes such as the Center on Equality, Pluralism and Policy, give a wealth of resources to be able to share and expand new ideas, creating an environment at the forefront of policy ideas.
Equipped with the education and technical skill from Baruch College I know that I would be able to lead policy creation and thought that could truly benefit people at every level of government. I hope to work with legislators and policy experts to create policy that is able to bridge the gap in the aisle and able to help constituents of these legislators, whether that be at a local, state, or national level. I truly believe that Baruch College would be the best place for me to make a positive difference in policy.