Hello, I'm planning to attend Chevening scholarship, and hoping you guys will help me by proof-reading the draft of my essay. Thanks!
Any form of help is appreciated.
1. Leadership and Influencing skills: Chevening is looking for individuals that will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.
Sincerity, communication, and time management are my strongest qualification as a leader. This was especially seen in the studio I'm currently working on. While I'm acting as the 3D Character Technical Director (TD), I'm also entrusted by the company president to act as the Director for a short 2D animated music video as well as supervising the animation team, consisting more than 10 members in total. Which I believe, will not happen if the president didn't see me qualified.
By the end of the project, a couple of the team members talk to me on how I, as the team leader had influence them by implementing the idea of how important it is to be honest to themselves, and then to each of the members. I remember saying that a being team means to be one body, how I as the head need to be honest to myself and accept that I am the head beforehand. If I as the head am being dishonest to myself, and try to be an arm, the whole body will suffer the consequences, and all need to take the responsibilities. The same applies to each part of the body as a team. And trust only comes through an honest communication, then on, we might know how far this body can keep going, when to run, and when to rest. With that in mind, my team and I manage to finish the project earlier than expected, without reducing the qualities. Working as the 3D Character TD, as well as an animation Director had given me a tremendous experience in living out the principle: Honesty, that I presume as the core in a leadership.
I believe leadership is not only limited in the scope of professionals, but also in the society where we live. During my spare time, I'm serving different segment of community with a number of my friends by joining a non-profit training organization services since December 2013. From intensives leadership training for senior high school, to Christian Family retreat activities. My role was first to prepare the activities and the messages we're trying to tell, then I will lead a group of people to the activities, be the judge, observes the player, and finally concludes the message that could be learn throughout the activities by explaining why some people do succeed in the activities while others don't, and what is the purpose of the activities. In virtue of interacting with diverse generation, I had come to learn in practice on how Communication becomes one of the principles in leadership.
I'm far from being the best leader in the world, but eager to be the best of me for those who put their trust in me. I believe Chevening scholarship is the answer for upcoming young leader like me that hoping to meet with other great leaders from all over the world.
2. Networking Questions: Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your networking skills, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future.
Involved in the campaign for a friend of mine, named Mike that was working as the Governor private secretary in participating in the elections of Jakarta's Assembly at provincial (DPRD), had broaden my networks in both social, and professional aspects. It is all started as a small team, consisting of twenty young professionals who shares the same vision, to work on the "Greater Jakarta" that was envisioned by our President, Mr.Joko Widodo and the Governor of Jakarta, Mr.Basuki by promoting our friend for the election of the DPRD.
The twenty of us, without considering the cost or even the payment, take initiative in dividing our roles in the team, and I was entrusted as the media producer for the campaign. The goal of media promotion was to call the attention of young idealist that still hoping to see a better Jakarta by contributing either their time, or money for the campaign. In the end, we managed to gather more than 700 people during the fundraising event, and collect around USD 45.000 for the campaign funds.
Aside from building the relation from people on my country, I'm lucky enough to meet in person Andrew Gordon and Matthew Luhn, Senior Artist from PIXAR animation. While they are running the PIXAR Masterclass in Indonesia, I was asked by the organizers to accompany the two of them, which I gladly accept. During my two days conversing with them, Andrew had come to see the potential in me, and invite me to come into the next masterclass in Malaysia that was organized by The One Academy as his personal guest. Months later, I reach Malaysia as promised, and everything was arranged for me. During my time in the masterclass, I am engaged with a conversation from the students, staffs, and professionals about the animation industry in Southeast Asia. As a result, we're having our own animation group today with potential growth in numbers.
Surrounded by various experience in my life, has allow me meet with hundreds others from different country, culture, religion, ethnic, and professions. I am hoping to meet another hundreds or thousands of people from all around the world through Chevening scholarship program.
3. Academic Questions: Why I have selected those three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and plans for the future.
As I've been doing tons of research regarding university in UK that provides postgraduate degree in Computer Animation since a couple years, Bournemouth University, Teesside University, and Dundee University reputable achievement had caught my attention. The satisfactory rate of their graduating student is pretty high, and I've been confirming this by contacting the alumnus from their Facebook group.
To name a few, Jon Macey, Jian Chang, Alexander Pasko, Xiaosong Yang, Lihua You, Phillip Vaughan, Joao Ferreira, and Anh Han are the top lecturers that I was aiming to be guided by. Not only these great figures stay as the lecturer of Computer Animation in those three University, the modules prepared for the courses were very credible as well. Since the degree I'm pursuing is Master of Computer Science in Animation, it rest heavily on the class structures, facilities, and most importantly, the lecturers.
Bournemouth University, known for its Association, National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) which often regarded as one of the best UK institutions available for study in the field of computer graphics, without a doubt has become my number one choice. Up to today, NCCA had successfully equipping their graduating students to work with the high standards of the industry. Moreover, the relationship built between the alumnus, lecturer, and upcoming students was very well maintained. They even publish the master thesis of their students for others to learn from it.
Dundee University, one of the top universities in UK, has stands as my second options for its program called 'Going Live'. 'Going Live' is special as it is part of the module to prepare the Master student to experience the replication of working in a studio from their industry partners, including the infamous The Mill and Axis animation.
Teesside University, known for its partnership with the largest animation and computer games festival in the UK, Animex, has stands as my third options. Though the degree its granting was Master of Arts, the module they prepare for the courses is very well designed. It includes not only the artistic side of animation, but covers greatly in the technical aspect as well.
Graduated with Distinction, awarded as the best student with the highest CGPA in the class of 2012, and entrusted as the Technical Director during my time as professionals, had boast my confidence to take part as Chevening scholar in these universities.
4. Career Questions: Immediate plans upon returning home and your longer term career goals.
How these relate to UK priorities in the country.
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