KGSP scholarship application essay
Hey, I applying for the KGSP scholarship for foreigners who want to obtain their Masters in South Korea, here is the prompt:
o Your course of life, your view of life, study background, your hopes & wishes, etc
o Your education and work experience, etc., in relation to the KGSP program
o Your motivations for applying for this program
o Reason for study in Korea
Here is my essay:
I grew up outside of Los Angeles - where my childhood was difficult. I was in and out of foster care and struggled in obtaining a stable economic and familial upbringing. Throughout my life, I always managed to focus on my academics because I saw education as an opportunity to better my future. I knew from my disadvantaged experiences growing up, that social welfare was my calling because I wanted to advocate for marginalized and underprivileged populations - especially those who do not have the privilege to attend college and pursue their dreams.
When I left for college at the University of California, Santa Cruz - I decided to major in Sociology because I wanted to better understand the intricacies of our society. However, I felt increasing feelings of loneliness and isolation in an environment where I could not relate to the many of the students who came from secure economic and strong familial backgrounds. I channeled these feelings into hard work. I obtained a 3.8 GPA and interned throughout my fours years, and received the Gabriel Zimmerman Award for Social Justice. While my academic and professional accomplishments were incredibly validating, I still left lingering feelings of emptiness. I began to work part-time at the local (and only) Korean restaurant in my college town. Through the close relationships with my Korean co-workers, I felt very accepted and began to fall in love with Korean culture. I quickly decided to study abroad in South Korea, as I felt a pull towards the country. It was my 7 months living in Sinchon, where I truly became enamoured with Korea. The cultural aspects of collectivism truly resonates in every fiber of Korean culture -from calling my friends "sister/언니" and "brother/오빠" to all the wonderful memories of going out to cafes and restaurants as a group. As a girl from a broken home, I had never felt such strong feelings of family and togetherness.
After I came back from studying abroad at Yonsei for 7 months, I felt invigorated and worked hard towards my goals to help and advocate for underprivileged populations. I began a 6 month internship with Eden Housing, a low-income housing company for individuals and families who live below the state poverty line. I worked to secure services for our residents by collaborating partnerships with our organization and other nonprofit and government agencies throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. I made strong connections with many of our residents while doing so. I often spent time working in Marina, California - where a very small but lively Korean population exists. Being the only employee who could speak a semblance of Korean, I made close ties with the elderly Korean individuals who lived in our properties. I sometimes helped to host bingo nights and potluck dinners for our residents in Marina. I always went out of my way to make the 할머니들 (grandmas) and 할아버지들 (grandpas)- who were shy about their English - feel especially welcomed, just as I felt so incredibly welcomed by their culture.
Living, studying, and embracing Korean culture truly changed my perspective on the meaning of friendship, family, and society. I love America, but I can only help but to sometimes feel frustrated by the engulfing pressure of individualistic western culture. As a sociologist, I believe that that unity and acceptance between individuals is imperative to a progressing society. How can we go about curing social ills when we are too far separated from our own people? I look to South Korea's deep rooted values of collectivism as a model of influence when aspiring make social change. Therefore, I would like to pursue my graduate studies in South Korea studying Social Welfare. I hope to be an ambassador of social progress who takes into account the different paradigms and perspectives of individuals across various background, in order to work towards a harmonious environment for all.
Please let me know if this essay is proper and answers the prompt, or is confusing in any way!
