An Indian-Caribbean man, now twenty-four, I came to the USA at 8 years old from Guyana. Soon, I lost my accent and blended in as much as possible. I have almost 2 years working experience as a paralegal, following completion of my undergraduate studies in criminal justice. I hope to earn my MPA at XXXX because I see your program is the optimal springboard for launching me upon a career where I might someday hold political office or become Chief of Staff in a non-profit organization. Becoming an Executive Director of a non-profit or a state agency is for me a definitive long-term goal.
I was raised mostly in XXXX, New Jersey. Both of my parents are from Guyana, but my father is Indian. Thus, I am a walking celebration of diversity in an age where this has become important in public administration. It is true that my background does help me relate especially well to non-white people, an asset which I hope to take full advantage of as a public administration professional, defining public problems in novel and creative ways that account for America’s increasing ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. I fully intend to always seek creative solutions relentlessly through communication, while I uphold ethical standards of community fairness. I want to work towards making my community more inclusive.
Diversity issues have long been of special interest to me on a personal level. Since I have dark skin and straight hair, I was singled out as being different than other racial profiles among my classmates. For this reason, I was a victim of bullying throughout my education, something which got even worse after 911. This is one of the principal reasons why I look forward to building a career in public administration, to contribute to diversity, and to help serve as a role model for other dark-skinned immigrants to America, especially the children.
My sense of international citizenship was enhanced by my completion of an internship in China in 2007 when I had the privilege of working for XXXX Group, based in NJ, working to help secure business opportunities for the 2008 Olympics Games in Bejing. I particularly enjoyed researching and drafting a synopsis of the rules and regulations governing Olympics sponsorship of vendors and marketing opportunities. I used my leisure time to immerse myself in Chinese culture and established a mentor relationship with local school administrators at the Shaolin Temple in Henan province.
For a little less than two years now, I have worked as a paralegal in document production, research into administrative, legal, and information for criminal and civil matters. I act as a liaison among various government agencies and private companies, preparing for and attending depositions and trials. My duties also include implementing and maintaining an electronic, motion filing system in New Jersey Superior Court and New Jersey and New York Federal Court.
I am from The City of Orange located in Essex County, New Jersey. We have way too much violence in Orange and too little effort is placed in the areas of educational programs to counteract this tendency, by either public or private sectors. By earning the MPH at XXXX, I will have a much better understanding of how to run a non-profit organization as well as manage a city, state, or even national budget.
An MPA from XXXX will help me to become a community leader in XXXX, NJ and help us to face three critical challenges, in particular, abysmal high school dropout rates, dwindling numbers of young people entering college, and elevated levels of gun violence. I keenly look forward to making important contributions in the areas of homeless intervention, veteran re-entry, and convicted felon re-entry programs.
Thank you for considering my application to your program.
MPA Diversity Personal Purpose Statement Indian-Caribbean
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