Personal Statement: An Underrepresented Student

By studying in Japan, I hope to expand my knowledge of a culture that personally interests me, but to which I have had extremely limited exposure. Additionally, I hope to serve as an ambassador for America’s diverse racial makeup.

It would be appropriate to refer to me as a traditionally underrepresented student. I am a young, Black woman who was raised in a low-income household by a single mother in a racially homogenous town, and I now attend a prestigious, predominantly-white university located outside a major city. This background did not offer many opportunities to interact with diverse identities, which has lead me to develop the desire to experience the world, its cultures and its people, and Japan is one of the countries I most wish

to explore.

Japan is a nation which appeals to my interests personally and professionally.

I enjoy Japanese food, history, and media, but would like an opportunity to experience these facets of Japanese culture more authentically. Also, my professional goal is to become a foreign correspondent, so traveling abroad would provide valuable cultural and political education for my future career. To achieve these goals, it is necessary that I receive financial aid, because as a lower- income student, it is impractical if not impossible to travel to travel abroad with the finances available to me.

Additionally, think my identity provides communities abroad a valuable look at the diversity of the United States. My appearance is not that of the stereotypical American, and my background deviates from this stereotype as well. So were I to represent the U.S. on a study abroad program, a host community would hopefully see that Americans are not homogenous. I think this is especially important for Japan, because I know many people East Asian countries have little exposure to Black people outside of our representation in the media, which is often harmful. I believe it is necessary for students like me to go abroad and provide more realistic views of America’s racial makeup and Black culture.

Without financial aid, my goal of traveling to Japan is unreachable. As a lower-income individual, the cultural exchange achieved by traveling abroad is unavailable to me without assistance. That being said, I am the kind of student most suited for study abroad, because not only would I myself gain a better perspective on another culture, but my underrepresented background would provide a broader view of Americans to citizens of other

countries.