Statement of Purpose 3-5 pages double spaced
The Present: Until today, my life has been thoroughly guided through the standardized and institutionalized motions of attending university following high school and beginning a job search for life after school. I’ve been a man with a one-track mind following the standard proceedings. However, I believe that it’s time for me to forge my own path and take my life, education, and goals in a meaningful direction. The path to greatness is a long and lonely road, and to me it beings with improving upon myself and preparing for a future of success. For myself, graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley is the first and most important step in my journey to change myself and the world.
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Throughout my youth and early adulthood, I have held numerous leadership positions in the Boy Scouts of America. It was my time in this organization that fostered my interest in leadership, management, and governance. These formative years gave me the opportunity to practice and develop the leadership skills that I pride myself on today. I have a greater understanding of how to work with others and manage a groups of people and competing groups. My senses of fairness, justice, and equitability were developed during this time and I employ these values in situations to this day. My greatest achievement during my time with the BSA was the completion of my Eagle Project and obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout. The effort required to complete such a task was greater than anything I’d attempted thus far and I was rewarded in spades with knowledge and valuable experience. The values instilled in me by the BSA at a young age have been strong motivating factors to study government and public relations. Furthermore, these values are a reflection of my overall character and are part of the foundation of my moral principles and strong work ethic. I plan to fully employ this strong work ethic throughout my research and studies at UC Berkeley, just as I have throughout my academic …show more content…
During my time at community college I volunteered for a non-profit that aims to provide water access to areas in Afghanistan that currently lack it. My role in the company was to spread the message through social media and interactions with people on an individual basis. My interest in diversity and awareness for the needs of others was furthered through my studies abroad at Cambridge. During this time I was able to communicate and discuss contemporary issues facing the world today, and garner a unique perspective from the differing viewpoints presented the diverse array of students. These interactions have greatly increased my understanding of international relations, and I strongly believe that my experiences translate into a more cultured understanding of governance that I can employ in my studies of public
Throughout the years of being a student at Council Rock, I have come to the realization of what a true leader is. A leader is not someone that just plans events, collects money, or shows up to meetings. Rather, this is someone that has a true connection with their peers, and has unmatched passion for what they do. With this, I can confidently say that since seventh grade, as a young adult, I have been shaped into an individual that fits these traits. Since that time, I have been involved in student government,
LM01, Ethical Leadership Student Guide. (2012). Maxwell-Gunter AFB. Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (AETC).
As I reflect on my college life, I wonder about the choices I have made that have led me to where I am today and that will guide me into shaping who I long to become. The things I have had to sacrifice, the support and experiences I have had with family, friends, strangers and work colleagues. I don’t know what I will be doing three months or thirty years from now but I do know that I want to have new experiences. When I graduated from high school, I knew I didn’t want to be that person that moved back to the same town and stayed there for the rest of my life. I even contemplate leaving the United States in my adult life. Who really knows, maybe those cards are still in the deck. For now, I know my immediate goals include focusing on completing my college education the best I can, and moving away from my comfort zone, broadening my horizons and taken risks.
During this past summer I had the opportunity to travel to the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), where I learned about leadership, citizenship, and service. During the conference we met in what was called large groups and community groups. Each community group had their own unique name, with some being called “revolutionaries” or the “legacies”, but the name of my group was the “Rough Riders”. At the time I really did not know much about the history of the Rough Riders or their impact in history, but after some research and watching a movie based on this story I was able to see a real life example of what lea...
The way a leader is defined and remembered is not only through his actions and accolades, his followers and the leaders he developed also go into a leader’s legacy. Much like a legendary football coach, whose coaching tree goes on to do great things, I desire to join an organization that not only assist in my development as a leader, but also facilitate in the development of others as well. How could I contribute to the development of leaders? My largest contribution will come from my experience of being the United States military, where I was not only trained how to become an efficient leader, I was also taught on how to facilitate the growth and development of others leaders as well. I am able to accurately assess and evaluate strengths and weaknesses of an individual and assist in the development of a plan of action to address these areas. One of my personal beliefs is that vast knowledge is useless unless it is passed down to someone. With that being said I take every opportunity possible to share any knowledge that has helped me along the way.
However, my dedication to my education and my diverse experiences in my youth are what have allowed me to overcome systematic barriers and get accepted to UCLA. The world I come from has not only propelled me get to college, but has shaped my understanding of the inequities and injustices of America’s educational system. I realize how socioeconomic status can hinder the capabilities of people because knowledge, opportunities, support, resources, and guidance are not always available to those who come from underserved communities.
I endeavor to obtain excellence in my academics; I wish to exemplify scholarship by constantly asking the whys and hows of things. I will not let a bad grade define who I am as a student or who I will become. I also want to take the most challenging classes available, not because it will look good on my college application, but because I genuinely love the concept of learning and discovering new things. Education doesn’t end after high school, so I plan to attend university, eager to attain the knowledge to better understand my world: and expand it.
Outside of Academics, I have spent hundreds of hours helping my community and bettering the lives of others. To elaborate, I spent this time volunteering in church youth ministries, tutoring various levels of mathematics, and serving as Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) in Boy Scouts. Of all the service I have done, I believe I have improved the lives of others most remarkably through my role as SPL. In this position, I have had the opportunity to forge the future leaders of our community by instilling them with a strong moral compass, various leadership skills, and inspiring them to achieve highly. I accomplished this through a combination of acting as a role model and as a leader, which has given me countless opportunities to inspire and teach them through my actions. In these positions I had to always act moral through making the most responsible choice in every situation, I had to sometimes bWhen I first came into this position, our troop consisted of a bunch of rowdy boys who were only part of the troop because their parents thought that it was a good idea for their future. Over time I was able to develop the boys into young men bThrough a combination of role modeling and teaching, I have helped many young men develop a strong moral compass, forging them into tomorrow’s leaders. Through delegation, planning, empowerment and education, I have had the opportunity to positively influence life-long intrinsic values in young impressionable boys. These once young boys, are now
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.
In “Choosing Success in College and Life”, Carol Kanar exposes students to the foundational skills that they will need to develop in order to be successful in the college setting. Effective interpersonal skills and understanding that people are the biggest resource can be two of the biggest factors in how a student assimilates to campus life. Students can be intimidated by all of the offices and professional titles that surround them when entering this new surrounding. It is important that students understand that their desire to succeed is met by college professionals’ mutual desire to see the same. The blueprint for this success should first begin with the students’ inner belief in themselves. Second, the student should familiarize themselves with all that the college has to offer by way of various supportive offices, support groups, and clubs. Finally, the students should begin to set scholastic, life, and financial goals for themselves.
College success has become a most desirable goal. However, many students struggle through college. In fact, according to the Website Ask.com, approximately 15 percent of college students receive a degree. Because I’m willing to earn a degree like many other successful students, I find that college is the stepping stone to my dream goals. I know that college is difficult, but I realize that attaining my dream of a college education will require me to understand the benefits of what I’m learning, to prepare for obstacles, to seek advice, and to create effective and reasonable strategies will help me achieve my goals.
There are several qualities to have to be successful in college. These qualities can range from attending class to going above and beyond what’s expected. Success comes from the journey taken or the path chosen. Success also comes from being prepared. As a student, I must step up to the challenge and find the path to success along the way. Several ways I define success is to uphold academic integrity, have the ability to prioritize, and to motivate myself to stay on top of what needs to be accomplished.
People, in this case boys, with ant-social behaviors persistently disregard and violate the rights of others (Comer, 2014). Their future is bleak, if not treated, with many ending up with substance abuse problems and incarceration. So while treatment is difficult and often unsuccessful (Comer, 2014), I feel there is hope if they can come to believe in a positive, productive, future self. Brainstorming could be a way to bring about the motivation that will be needed for them to obtain an expanded view of the future and themselves.
For so many years I’ve asked myself the question, “what are you going to do with your life?” For a period of time I struggled with this question. Today, I sit staring at my computer, confronting myself, asking my subconscious “what do I want to do for the rest of my life?” Have I finally found the answer I 've been looking for, or am I under the false assumption that this is the right path for me. This semester has been the ultimate opportunity to explore my questions, doubt, issues, and concerns. I feel that by the end of this paper I will have answered all these questions, and will have made the best decision for my future.
With all the independence and freedom that recent high school graduates possess, they should carefully ponder the possible options that exist. Through abiding by the “check the destination before the ticket is purchased” adage, high school graduates can competently guide their personal journeys in college life or the real world. Regardless of the path chosen, college students and those who immediately enter the workforce will ultimately decide their future destinations. In addition, while graduates pursue their dreams, goals must be set and diligently fostered. The necessity of a college and/or career game plan is crucial, and should not be disregarded. Before Dr. King ended his “I Have a Dream” speech he declared, “Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.” Similarly, high school graduation is not a finish line, but a starting gun.