"Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours." -Les Brown
I believe that no matter what circumstances people may find themselves in, if presented with the right tools and someone who believes in them, this individual can succeed and even excel in life. I see a great need to be able to help individuals who through disabilities or accidents have become unable to perform daily tasks. This is my dream: to be a part of helping others to overcome their weaknesses and surpass expectations.
While completing my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Brigham Young University-Idaho, my interest in pursuing a masters in Occupational Therapy increased as I recognized my potential to improve the quality of life and empower individuals with disabilities through physical rehabilitation.
I have had several other opportunities over the years have allowed me to develop a strong desire to work professionally in this field. I worked with a five-year old girl named Keeley, who has been diagnosed with Autism. My work with her involved play therapy designed to increase her vocabulary and spontaneous communication. For two years I was able to participate in a program called PAL's (Peer Assistance and Leadership). Participation in this program allowed me the chance to work with special education students and tutor students with learning disabilities. By providing them with extra support and attention, we were able to help these children learn and progress so that they could successful integrate into mainstream classes. One of my dearest friends, Ali, has Down syndrome. Over the years I have had a chance to help her progress in her performance of everyday tasks. It has been very rewarding to watch her progress over the last decade. Through these experiences, I discovered that my passion lies in working with individual who have disabilities, and it further solidified my desire to work professionally in this field.
Another contributing factor to my desire to help others stems from that fact that I come from a part of the country where there is a large part of the population that is Spanish speaking. I see a great need for health professionals who can communicate with the individuals with disabilities as well as communicate with their families. As a fluent Spanish speaker, the profession of occupational therapy would allow me to combine my abilities in Spanish with my desire to help individuals with disabilities.
While pursuing my Psychology degree, I had the chance to work as a Para-educator at Westlake High School. In my experience there, I was able to work with several students who had a wide variety of disabilities. One of the most rewarding was working with Eric, a 17-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with severe Autism, and functioned at a very low level. Our main focus with Eric was to help him learn basic tasks, such as writing his name and using a telephone. The progress was not rapid, but even the smallest of accomplishments were monumental for him. In working as a Para-educator, I grew to love watching others learn and progress. For me one of the most rewarding things is to watch those that have struggles in life, overcome those set backs and excel in life. I want to be a part of that process and play a role in helping people reach their full potential.
Once I receive my graduate degree in Occupational Therapy, I will apply to become a Certified Occupational Therapist. Ultimately, I plan on working for an agency that focuses on early childhood intervention. Thank you for your consideration of this letter and application to your program. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
if presented with the right tools and someone who believes in them, this individual can succeed and even excel in life.
... The most important factor, in my view, for one's sucess is his or her strong desire and deiaton.
I have had several other opportunities over the years
that have allowed me to develop a strong desire to work professionally in this field.
