Giving Back To A Community

Community involvement has always played a vital role in my life. Growing up in a single parent household, I saw firsthand the influence that others in the community can have on a young child’s life. My siblings and I had to depend on trustworthy people in our community to provide us with things that our mother was just unable to give us. From help with homework assignments to a simple hug when I was crying, my community has helped me grow into the woman I am today. As a young child I knew that I wanted to challenge myself in every way possible so that one day I could reach out and be that influence for someone else.

My interest for Public Service peaked during the summer of my sophomore year in college. I had the opportunity to work as

Despite the challenge of balancing athletics with academics, I still found time for community involvements. I participated in numerous community services and volunteering projects through-out College. When I was junior in college, I was given the opportunity to become a big sister through the organization Big Brothers Big Sister. As a big sister, I worked with this eleven year old girl name Ashley Smith. When I first meet Ashely she was an extremely shy, quiet child. Her mother enrolled Ashley and her sibling into the Big Brother Big Sister of Rhode Island because she had a lot going on at home and it was difficult for her to give each of them the individual attention. Ashely was born with a severe case of asthma, so she could not participate in extracurricular activities. Although she could not physically participate in sports, she was a big fan on the sideline at all of my home basketball games. The impact that I have had on Ashely helped her become confident and comfortable with herself. In the last 3 years, Ashley has gone from an introvert little girl, to a talkative teenager who initiates the conversations. I taught her to stand up for what she believes in and showed her that anything is possible if you believe and work at it. My senior year, my teammates and I volunteered with Habit for Humanity on a weeklong

With ample work and volunteer experience in public service, I am passionate about continuing a professional career in the field, specifically in the area of non-profit and international development. The MPA program with a focus in government would be an ideal way to combine my interest for private and public sector. After earning my Master’s degree in Public Administration, I plan to commission into the United States Army as an officer for a few years and then opening up my own non-profit organization. As a dedicated and hardworking student with a passion for public services, I want to make it my personal mission to assist any organization in need on a local, state, and global level. I believe that I will contribute greatly to Columbus State University’s Master’s program in Public