For the past seven years, I have maintained a conceptual continuity in my international professional experiences, a commitment to the work of giants in the multinational auditing and professional services arena. I have given all I am to my work in financial advisory, handling M&A advisory to American and European clients and have been left even more eager to give that much more, and on a greater scale. The Global Affairs program is a natural choice and ____ is where I could best excel as a graduate student, close to home and my support base.
____U’s graduate Global Affairs program will bring credence to my research into international business, particularly the cultural and economic aspects, and relevance to my ambitions and dreams. More specifically, I want to increase my depth of understanding of emerging markets beyond China, my homeland and area of expertise, and transaction business. India, the Middle East and South America are all markets I am eager to investigate, certainly for the global business potential, but also because of my passion for understanding other cultures.
I seek effective and sustainable methods for expanding women’s rights in emerging nations. Having been raised in a conservative Chinese family, I am intimately aware of the individual struggle, as a woman, to pursue personal goals, wrestling with traditional family perceptions of the ideal woman. I feel that my academic and professional successes, even the development of my identity and shaping my life have been against many odds. I cannot go forward in my career without reaching out to those who have not been as fortunate as I have. My successes post-graduation will be an excellent jumping off point for active volunteerism, empowering women with a sense of independence and the belief that they can pursue any life they can conceive.
Post-graduation, I envision increasing my professional exposure in the M&A financial advisory field, aiding Chinese enterprises with outbound, overseas investment endeavors. Upon establishing myself, I can then pursue independent consultancy work, work that will enable me to engage in practical experiences in emerging markets in India, and the Middle East. By helping the women of the Middle East and India, women that have been traditionally bound to early marriage, I visualize ensuring their education and independence, giving them the chance to be active participants in not only their own futures but as contributing members of their communities and beyond.
To bring my plans to fruition, I need the educational experience that only __U can provide, coupled with the immersion within an accomplished student body, one that can help me establish the green shoots of my own network, or knowledge of organizations. I have a solid academic foundation in Accountancy coupled with CPA certification and international business experience. Not only am I trilingual, but I am also fluent in the Chinese business mentality, one that has changed as dramatically as the economic boom has advanced in the last decade. I clearly remember the SARS outbreak, its economic impact and recovery of the local capital market and the amazing metamorphosis of state-owned and private Chinese enterprises flocking to the stock exchange for cross border listing. It was then that I analyzed companies’ financial and internal controls, assisting them with stock listing, while outside there was confusion, doubt, and resistance from local management, fueled by the struggle with impending privatization, business re-organization, regulatory changes, and transparent disclosure requirements.
I am fond of investigating the career-driven couple, following opportunities apart, or frustrated parents bound by the one-child policy, one that goes against the grain of traditional Chinese family values. No doubt, contemporary China grew fast, yet suffered as well. Through it all, I am thrilled to witness this new era and be part of its history.
____ expanded my international business horizons and knowledge of capital transactions through due diligence for overseas strategic investors, American and European, as well as interaction with businesses across China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the Philippines. Participating in an HR integration across eight Asian countries put me in close contact with people from highly diverse backgrounds, adding to my intense interest in global transactions, confirming that I was on exactly the right path.
In my work and in my travels, I have seen huge cultural, political, and economic gaps between the East and West, valuable experiences that are pieces of jigsaws, yet not enough to portray a full global picture. While I have worked in China, Hong Kong, the US, I have also been found tripping across the continents in ten countries, and even spending a month backpacking solo across Europe. Despite the dizzying array of countless cultures and countries, I have seen beyond their looking glasses, my future is all the clearer thanks to my experiences.
__U’s graduate Global Affairs program stood out to me from the background noise of other schools with its unique multidisciplinary approach, relevance, autonomy, and breadth of curriculum. Moreover, I found the student and alumni network truly appealing, as I am eager to exchange ideas with students from around the world and myriad professional backgrounds.
I look forward to interacting and contributing to the Global Affairs program at __U with great eagerness. No other field could bring me a greater sense of personal or professional satisfaction.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
MA Masters Global Affairs Personal Purpose Statement