GKS Personal Statement - Where there is a will, there is a way.

Global Studies application essay

Hi everyone, I'll apply via uni to Global Studies (International Cooperation). The university I chose requires two letters of recommendation and I thought it was a good idea to mention both professors, please let me know if that's a good idea.

The instructions have changed a bit this year:
- The essay must be single spaced within TWO pages
- Motivations with which you apply for this program
- Educational background
- Significant experiences you have had; persons or events that have had a significant influence on you
- Extracurricular activities such as club activities, community service activities or work experiences
- If applicable, describe awards you have received, publications you have made, or skills you have acquired, etc.

Life has many struggles to deal with, and these struggles could break you, but there's always a way to become stronger. I am eager to improve myself and to help Mexico show the real potential it has, which is unmatched by the reality in which we live. There is no other place that inspires me more than Korea, its history, and the incredible ability to improve conditions in the country with that sense of belonging and perseverance that characterizes Korean people.

My parents, victims of the 1994 crisis in Mexico, worked in their small food business to give me, their only child, a worthy education beyond the difficulties of our country. Even if we faced hard times, they taught me to use time wisely, share with others, and contribute to a better future in society. My parents influenced me to create my own opportunities and to realize that it is never too late or impossible to reach my goals.

In my life, three key moments led me to this very moment I am writing these words.
- When I started working as an assistant and researcher at my university.
- Participating with the United Nations Foundation to establish a Girl Up campus in my community.
- My time as a volunteer in Busan, South Korea.

When I finished high school, I had economic difficulties and I had to postpone my undergraduate studies for a few years. When I was finally able to continue studying and decided which program I truly wanted to pursue, I fell in love with the content of the International Relations program. I began to have new goals and ambitions, and I invested as much time as possible to study without leaving my full-time job. I participated in many university events, two of the most significant were, 1) the Olympiad of Knowledge, where I won second place among all the university students, and 2) Model United Nations events, where I was part of the organizing staff.

The hunger for knowledge and development I had, which I'm still so passionate about, didn't stop with the education that I could acquire; therefore, I got involved in the world of research. From 2016 to 2018 I had the opportunity to have a full-time paid job in my school's research department as an assistant. I was lucky enough to have one of my professors as the department leader. Professor XXXX XXXX inspired and taught me throughout the time I worked with her.

Some of the duties I had were: Analyzing information sources, transcribing interactions in focus groups and interviews, coordinating the legal follow-up of the process to obtain the ISBN of the books to be published, supervising students who were research volunteers. Although I no longer work there, in the second semester of 2021, I was a research mentor for an undergraduate student in her senior year.

In 2017 I was invited as a research volunteer with Professor YYYY YYYY and his team. I contributed to a project they had together with Kia Motors. This research experience became my first real approach to Korea. The project's goal was to determine the factors that KIA Motors Mexico applies in practice to admit SMEs in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon within its supply chain. Part of the study was done qualitatively with in-depth interviews with the leaders of KIA Motors Mexico, government officials, and professors who were experts in the field.

This research project made me read and learn much more about Korea, its development, and work culture. Although Mexicans are ambitious and capable of doing incredible things, Mexico is a country that has had difficulties in positioning its economy and development. I was fascinated to read about the strategies Korea implemented to lift their country up in times of trouble. Professor XXXX noticed my growing interest in Korea and informed me about this specific scholarship. That's when I decided to take formal Korean language lessons at my university back in 2018.

There is a lack of opportunities in Mexico for International Relations students studying at public universities. The resources are limited and partnerships with NGOs hardly exist. I didn't want these factors to define my experience and path through my years as a student. Three university colleagues and I looked for ways to grow our university's network with NGOs and contacted the United Nations Foundation. We founded Girl Up XXX XXX, which was the first university club in Mexico to collaborate with the UNF. Nowadays there are 28 university clubs across the country.

Girl Up supports a network of UN partners to help ensure adolescent girls access quality education and complete schooling through at least high school to transform their reality. I was very moved by what was being done in Girl Up since I had problems myself continuing to study, and I know that Mexico has problems providing education to its population, especially girls and young women. On various occasions and events, I had the opportunity to be a mediator between the board, the campus members, the institutions that collaborated with us, and those in charge in Washington D.C. Our work was recognized in 2018 at the Girl Up Leadership Summit in Washington D.C. when we won the title of "2018 Campus Club of the Year", being this the first time in the history of the organization that a campus club outside the United States has won.

Later that year, I was sponsored and cordially invited to the United Nations Foundation headquarters to participate in roundtable discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. Furthermore, there were presentations about strategies on how countries could achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in our countries. I could speak to other young women from worldwide and get different perspectives about similar situations we had in our own country. I finished my official duties with the organization back in December 2019, but I'm an active advisor for the new officers in charge of the current activities.

Because of the impact of Girl Up XXX XXX in our community and university, in 2019 the Institute of Youth from the local government selected me to have the opportunity to go abroad as a volunteer. I could go to any country of my choice; without hesitation I chose South Korea. I wanted to see and experience on my own the country that I admired the most. My time in Busan as a volunteer was life changing, Korea was what I had imagined and much more.

During my time in Busan, we went to the Flower Village(꽃마을) to restore walls and helped to organize an arts festival with international artists. I got to interview some of them and translate some information from Spanish to English, since a couple of artists were Spanish speakers. I adapted well, and I confirmed that Korea was the place where I wanted to achieve a master's degree. I learned about things you only learn through experiences and not only books. It's heartwarming to remember how the people from the village welcomed us with open arms and taught us about their local history and culture.

When I came back to Mexico, I was still captivated by everything I had experienced in Korea. In order for me to graduate, I decided to write a research paper, which was successfully published in a journal, comparing political representation between women in South Korea and Mexico. The variable for the comparative study was gender stereotypes. During the pandemic I became an Honorary Reporter for Korea.net in Spanish to share with others, through my articles on the website, the admiration I feel for Korea as a hardworking nation with a rich and unreplaceable culture.

I currently work in a place where I help foreigners with the immigration process to undergo medical procedures in Mexico. Although it is not the job in which I want to develop my career, I appreciate the opportunity to be in an international environment where I can help others and positively promote Mexico. Many of the opportunities related to international cooperation that I'm interested in require a master's degree. There's no doubt that Korea is the best place to learn about international cooperation and development since Korea is an example in many ways for the international community.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Mexico, and there have been negotiations for a possible free trade agreement. This is an ideal time for an exchange on foreign policy that could benefit both nations in different areas and of which I intend to be a part in the future. I'm sure my profile, my experiences, and my goals are a god fitting to win the GKS, and I know my convictions and hard work will pay off to become a successful candidate. I faithfully believe the Korean proverb that says: Where there is a will, there is a way.

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Please let me know what you think! I appreciate every comment :)

The essay does not deliver a strong development in terms of Global Studies. The applicant has a strong backstory in terms of family background, education, and life experiences, but none of these solidly indicate a reason why he would develop and maintain an interest in Global Studies. Even the interest in South Korea as a nation, influencer, and point of education is very thinly discussed in the presentation. The essay may sound impressive at first to anyone who reads it but, once it is studied in the manner that the university reviewers will, the obvious weakness of the client's qualifications, regardless of the awards received will become highly obvious. That award is the only significant highlight in this essay.

In terms of the recommendees, their mention in this statement will be beneficial to the letters that they, NEVER YOU will be writing. It will be better if they are mentioned in this essay as it will relate to the letter they will be writing somehow. Their letter though, should be far more detailed than any mention you make of them in this essay.

That said, the fact that the essay does not clearly and strongly indicate the relevance of Global Studies in the career path of the student. More work needs to be completed in relation to specifics that would make the applicant stand out amongst the many.