My central professional goal is to work with homeless and disadvantaged gay youth. According to the 2017 article Coming Out and Leaving Home: A Policy and Research Agenda for LGBT Homeless Students in the journal Educational Researcher, “each year, it is estimated between 320,000 and 400,000 LGBT youth encounter homelessness. They are at increased risk of victimization and abuse and face stigmatization for being homeless and a sexual or gender minority.” Many public programs overlook this especially vulnerable population. I look forward to contributing to public policies protecting and addressing this victimized segment of young people.
I am drawn to the broad-ranging and comprehensive nature of the Public Administration Program at XXXX University. I am applying to the Graduate Certificate Program where I would have the flexibility to transfer credits towards an MPA degree as an option, learning to engage simultaneously in the pursuit of efficient operation, democratic accountability, and problem-solving effectiveness.” (Handbook of Public Administration, Henry). I seek a better understanding of the complex challenges faced by both federal and local leaders in the protection of public health and safety; After earning my certificate in Public Administration and developing a research base for my target demographic, I will then choose between the MPH, another certificate in LGBTQ Studies or further study in a Gender Studies program.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots in New York City - a significant flashpoint in our nation. As a happily married gay man, I understand the inequality in our society. I am pleased to see the progress made in America, most notably with the full recognition of marriage between same-sex couples in 2015. I am heartened by America’s embrace of presidential candidate ‘Mayor Pete,’ for example, as a young gay man, a husband, a prospective father, and a public administrator. I also seek to research developments from the perspective of LGBTQ studies and the moral framework of human rights for all. This focus will provide me with insights from which I can think creatively about the intersection of Public Administration on the one hand, and the changing patterns of gender and sexual orientation on the other, in terms of public policy and representation.
As a marketing and management professional, I have a successful record of accomplishment of managing numerous event marketing campaigns for Fortune 500 clients, including AOL, Verizon, Nintendo, and Kellogg’s. For over a decade, I was responsible for introducing new products into the marketplace. At the same time, I have always been a volunteer and activist, especially in the areas of Me Too, Black Lives Matter, and LGBTQ rights.
At age 40, after having had the opportunity to participate in AmeriCorps, I could not be more ready to embark on a professional lifetime of service in administration. As an Ambassador of Mentoring with AmeriCorps, I created a new mentoring program and coordinated two career mentor programs for at-risk high school students. This was my first experience working closely with youth. Before my service year, I rarely interacted with children. My inner circle of family and friends was dumbfounded when they learned I committed to a year of full-time volunteer service working with at-risk youth, exceptionally high schoolers! The year turned out to be one of the most significant experiences. I became impassioned to serve youth in some capacity. I recently worked as a Volunteer Coordinator at Volunteers for Community Impact. I supported the Foster Grandparent Program, a federal national service program that partners low-income senior citizen volunteers with students with special needs. I am incredibly proud of mobilizing over one hundred volunteers in Orange County Public Schools, County Head Start classrooms, and other local youth-serving organizations.
For Woodrow Wilson: "It is the object of administrative study to discover what government can properly and successfully do, and, secondly, how it can do these proper things with the utmost possible efficiency and at the least possible cost either of money or energy.” I want to contribute to the success of our government and public research policy that respects and lends a hand to those most vulnerable among us, those who have most frequently failed to have their human rights respected. I am committed to learning about public administration and the public administrator's role towards this end.
I appreciate your consideration of my application to your distinguished Certificate in Public Administration Program.
Certificate Program Statement in Public Administration