Growth is unpredictable, complicated, and completely dependent upon our experiences. It is nuanced and the layers are added either by necessity or by choice. Furthering my education is growth by choice. My ultimate goal is a Doctorate in Public Administration. As a penultimate step, I am eager to earn a Master’s in Public Administration with a specialization in Government Administration. This decision came after careful consideration of my academic background, areas of interest, and ultimate career goals.
My academic background consists of two phases. My first college attempt, 1997-2002, was unsuccessful due largely to distraction caused by my father’s illness. The second phase started in 2009 with a new major, Consumer Economics, which better suited my interests. I was able to narrow the scope of my degree further and focused on policy creation, analysis, and implementation. During this phase, I earned a 3.7 GPA while working full-time at the University of Georgia. Although it took longer than normal to complete my undergraduate education, it is to date my greatest success; however, my educational growth is not finished. I have goals and ambitions that inspire me to continue onward until I am in possession of my graduate degree. My journey to a college education has been filled with experiences that have stunted but not stopped my growth. I am confident that, come what may, I will accomplish the goals that I’ve set. It is this perseverance that qualifies me as an excellent candidate for the Master’s in Public Administration at Columbus State University.
Since returning to school, my educational path has been shaped by my academic and work experience. I was fortunate enough to obtain both concurrently which provided me with a so...
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...tion, a Master’s from Columbus State University’s Public Administration program is pertinent to my preparation for this role. This degree will equip me with a thorough knowledge of the system and an in-depth understanding of ways to change it. I believe public administration can be an agent of vital change.
Graduate education is far more than just a continuation of college studies. It is more of a progression where the student’s analytical and critical skills develop. It is the culmination of completed goals through hard work. Where can I best acquire the education and skills I seek? I am certain that is Columbus State University. It is, after all, where I had my first unofficial college experience. I attended a gifted program there during the summer of 1993, my freshman year in high school. It would only be fitting to return now as I near completion of my journey.
Over the past few years, people have begun to see going to college as a way to achieve the American Dream through career-readiness. People used to go to college, hoping to get a better well-rounded education. For most the well-rounded education, it usually came with the courses required for a liberal arts education. The courses would provide a level of analytical and in-depth understanding that would prepare the students for both life and whichever career path chosen. No matter the amount of money paid, parents would be willing to gi...
Wright, B. E., & Pandey, S. K. (2010). Transformational leadership in the public sector: Does structure matter? Journal of Public Administration, Research & Theory, 20(1), 75-89. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu/
As the high school chapter is coming to a close, many students have to make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. Hopefully, for many that decision is to enroll in a college and attain a higher education. However, as tuition costs rise, students have to take a second look at their options for a better future. A community college is that second look for many because it is the less expensive option. From 2007-2009, enrollment for community colleges has increased by 24 percent (“College costs and the CPI”). Students aren’t choosing a college for educational purposes because they are overwhelmed by financial issues. They are attending community colleges so they will be able to graduate with a lower debt. Some seniors have wanted to attend a certain university all their life and they work toward that goal through grade school; however, they are hindered by soaring tuition for that college. Students should be able to attend a private university if they mee...
For those who wish to have children in the future, imagine putting ten dollars a week aside from now until they turned eighteen. That money would hardly accumulate up to even a portion of the costs for just a single year of higher education. In the article, “America’s Most Overrated Product: The Bachelor’s Degree”, an essay from the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2008, author Marty Nemko discusses all aspects that should be considered before pursuing a serious interest in educational institutions. Being a current student at a four-year institution it concerns me for not only myself but also fellow peers if we are making the right decision. The costs of higher education are increasing drastically along with the amount of Americans in debt from student loans. The value of a bachelor degree is declining and students are faced with the question, do the benefits of a collegiate education out weigh the costs?
In August 1990, I successfully completed the degree requirements to earn a Bachelor of Science in Social and Behavioral Sciences with a minor in Psychology from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. The completion of course work in principals of public administration, organization management and leadership, strategic planning, public policy analysis, ethics and social justice and finance and budget afforded the opportunity to earn a Master of Public Administration from Walden University in August 2016. My professional career began in July 1990 as Education Coordinator for Citizens Baptist Medical Center.
With the economy still in a low position and many blue collar jobs leaving the US, many people older in age are taking the time to go back to school. People are beginning to realize the importance of education and accreditations in order to remain competitive in the working world. Jobs are now scarce and even graduates are not able to get jobs in the fields of which they studied. Now, to get a foot in the door an applicant needs to have something that ...
Coming out of my senior high school was one of the most difficult tasks I 've been given up to this point in my life. I was overwhelmed, excited, sad, busy, and uncertain of the near impending future. The past 13 years of my life I had been studying, practicing, playing, and working my way towards a brighter future. I could see the future in front of me, it was as if I could reach out and touch it. It was almost like getting a shot at the doctors, I knew it was what was best for me but I was terrified anyway. But I pushed aside my fears and on August 8, 2015, I set foot on a college campus, my home for the next four years. I knew why I was there though; I came to college in order to channel the love I have for my country into the motivation necessary to take the next step up the ladder towards a constitutional law degree, a degree I’ll use to protect this country and the people who reside in it. But to truly understand why I came to college, I have to start at the beginning.
1.Tell us about yourself, your family, community and why you have decided to pursue a post-secondary education and your field of study?
So how does one live up to the system’s standards? The financial burden is a real obstacle in most cases for those who have given up on attending college. One can only assume that those who are thirsty in pursuing a career must succeed in finding their own way to comprehend their resources in order to develop a tangible path towards a vocation. The percentage of college students are increasing and more and more bodies choose community college to start their path to success. In the process of finding the right path, one discovers that is only through a career that they are able to obtain a stable life style and a financially secure future. Unfortunately, not every American has the ability of finding their way out of their financial storm and or cannot count with the same resources as other students have in order to sustain themselves while maintaining a college
Wilson’s focused on the importance of the separation of public administration from the political ramifications. He articulates how colleges have recognized the need for in depth studies of public administration, apart from politics.
Educational Goals: Education is extremely important part of my past, present, and future goals. I currently hold an Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design Media. I have found that an A.A.S Degree does not go as far al I originally intended in the Rochester, MN area and furthering my education will be a necessity for my future career goals. Over the past 2 years I have been working on my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the Minnesota School of Business Rochester campus. I am currently a senior with 3 quarters left before a spring graduation. After a June graduation, I plan on taking a summer quarter break. After summer break I will either continue on at MSB for my Masters in Business Administration with a Minor in Marketing or transferring the University of Minnesota for my Masters in Adult Education. After my Masters Degree is complete I will decide at that time if I wish to continue on and achieve my Ph.D.
My academy experience to date has made me aware of issues in higher education that I want to explore further. Ultimately my goal is to better understand the critical issues in higher education and be able to influence change for the betterment of the academy as well as the students who are and will be participating in it.
The study of public administration only continued to grow over the course of the next two decades. As the study of public administration expanded, so did the development of s...
It is often said that education should come before anything else. “Education is the most important factor in the development of the country” (“Education”). However, this is not always true in terms of the success of one’s collegiate career. Education is not every student’s top priority, and there are many ways to live successfully after college without focusing on the academic part as your top priority. Only about 30 percent of Americans complete a bachelor’s degree by their mid-20s, with another 10 percent completing an associate’s degree by then (Paulson). Not everyone’s top priority is academics, with many alternatives and goals to pursue, many people drop-out or simply stop trying and eventually flunk out. H...
Despite these criticisms, the reforms in public administration have had a widespread impact across this country and around the world. The principles underlying these reforms have enhanced government performance and accountability, public administration has employed various strategies to streamline management and enhance pubic service. It is important to keep in mind that while there may be significant improvement in productivity as a result of technological advances or reform, the most meaningful long-term gains will come about as a result of attention to the humans side of the organization. Successful public administration demands a successful balance between the concerns of the technical side of the agency and paying attention to people.