For years, I served clients in several senior professional customer service roles, managing and coordinating other customer service personnel. While serving as a Family Support Coordinator, I had no idea that an untapped part of me would suddenly compel me towards what I can only describe as being my true calling, a passion for helping others in their time of need. XXXX University will help me to focus on aiding Hispanics in the acculturation process, I will better understand my experiences coming to America from Puerto Rico and being raised in New York. Indeed, the issues remain as profound today as when I first came to America: socioeconomic differences, childcare inadequacies, racism, discrimination, and language issues. More than this, having lived and now serving the underserved populations, my compassion for others has only grown with my professional experiences. I have been left resolute and doubtless that my future role is in helping others help themselves, giving back to my community, sharing the benefits of a quality XXXX education and a lifetime of experiences. Many people need help overcoming the issues that bar them from becoming healthy, productive, and positive contributors to society. To their tomorrow, I will give all I am to the only field that guarantees bringing about social change, one person, one family, one community at a time. Obtaining a quality graduate education in Mental Health Counseling will allow me to bring my plans, goals, and dreams of opening a private practice and or serving a school system as a guidance counselor to fruition. Overall, my aim is to aid the community in an ethical and effective manner as a skilled professional, demonstrating a solid grasp of social and cultural diversity, and, of course, adhering to the principles outlined by the XXX. Nothing would bring me more personal or professional satisfaction than to provide emotional support and guidance to those who need it most, bringing my knowledge of the mind, and resources available, being the facilitator of the amelioration of lives through patient and heartfelt compassionate care. I hope to bring with me to XXXX's student body an excellent academic foundation along with professional exposure coupled to community service in the form of volunteerism. As an active member in my church, I work with children aged XXX years, and conduct home visits to those in need. I have been left convinced that I am exactly on the right route. My Hispanic background, and having lived in Puerto Rico and New York, and travels to four of the world's continents, has given me the ability to speak two languages fluently, helping me reach out to Hispanic clients in their arterial language, allowing them to express themselves completely and comfortably. Moreover, as a burgeoning mental healthcare professional, I feel that my position in the community will bring with it a certain level of social responsibility, as a role model for other Hispanic women wanting to develop themselves further. To this end, I am intent upon continuing my active volunteerism, aiding the community as I serve their mental health needs. To be more effective in the application of therapy, there is a need for not just experiences and a gift for reaching out to others, but also a thorough grasp of theory. The mental health program at XXXX University is a natural and logical decision for further education since your program has impressed me with its breadth of curriculum, covering all the subject areas I am most passionate about, and inspiring me to give my time and energy towards helping others to live happy and fulfilling lives. I look forward to my time at XXXX, interacting with the accomplished student body and quality faculty. Thank you for your time and consideration. MS Mental Health Counseling Family Therapy Hispanic

I thrived in the demanding atmosphere of military school which I attended from the age of eleven. The school instilled an uncompromising work ethic in me that has served me well and continues to do so. I excelled in all subjects, but I particularly loved Chemistry and I wanted to combine this with a way to help people. Pharmacy seemed to me the obvious way to do so. I achieved a GPA of 3.55 in my bachelor studies despite being highly active in cultural and volunteer activities and assisting professors with their research. Ever since I became aware of stem cell research and the key role of pharmacists in this work - which seems likely to yield enormous benefits to humankind, I have read broadly in this area. Having gained my degree, I worked in retail pharmacy in India. Apart from routine duties, I loved helping patients to identify remedies that were both effective and within their budget. I come from a culture in which the elderly are treated with respect and kindness, and I realize that pharmacists need to pay special attention to caring for the elderly. I hope to be part of the solution to issues that concern the elderly. Although I enjoyed my retail experience, I was also considering a future in research and decided to pursue a master's degree in biotechnology, coming to the US to do so. I attended New York University and made significant contributions to several interesting research projects. My GPA was a bit disappointing, however my scores in required subjects were good and I would ask you to take this fact into account. I look forward to joining a challenging program in which I can apply my substantial research experience, especially in cardiovascular disease. It is my hope to acquire the skills and knowledge to enable me to become an excellent clinical pharmacist who is fully prepared for the coming changes in the medical environment. PharmD Pharmacy School Personal Purpose Statement

I am most proud of my long trajectory of helping others. This is why at mid-life, 50, I can now afford the luxury of devoting myself to full-time social work. Even though I have already been actively engaged in my calling since May of 2008, working as a Family Involvement Specialist and a dedicated Case Manager and I enjoy working with an inter-disciplinary team very much; I long to go forward as a professional and earn the MSW that alluded me for too long. Being a non-traditional student at the half century mark carries advantages of accumulated wisdom upon which to depend in the formulation of social strategies. Your program is ideal for me because it will allow me to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I am especially interested professionally in working as a clinician doing assessments and therapy. Someday I would like to open my own practice working in collaboration with other clinicians. I am a strong candidate for your program because I espouse the values of the social work code: service, social justice, dignity, advocacy of the sense of self-worth of the person; the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. I have incorporated and continue to develop the values of the social work profession and look keenly forward to increasing my knowledge by earning a MSW from the University of XXXX. I look forward to exploring mental health issues as they related to poverty, unemployment, and discrimination, always with optimism and dedication to the goals of progressive social change, exploring issues of oppression, diversity, access to needed information, services, and resources for the promotion of promotion of social justice. I would like to think that my ability to accept and respect individuals as they are—--physically, mentally, spiritually, and culturally—to be my greatest strength and gift. As a social worker it is not only my duty but also my joy to help others: strengthening, promoting, maintaining, and enhancing the wellbeing of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities. Promoting the ethical principles, values, and standards of the profession, always trustworthy with integrity. I look forward to increasing my competence in the field of social work by developing knowledge and skills through completing my graduate studies at your program. I have great hope that earning a master's degree in social work will allow me to realize my professional dreams of serving as a Child and Family Therapist working with adolescents with substance abuse and gender identity issues. I would especially enjoy working with gay teenagers who struggle with their sexual orientation issues, most in the context of substance abuse; looking at if and how these issues relate to each other and if being gay increases the risk for substance abuse. I would also like to explore appropriate treatment modalities that work best with this population. I see myself working in a hospital setting with patients who are facing serious illness and death/dying issues, providing solidarity and counseling. Finally, I would like to create a community outreach program addressing the concerns and needs of the growing older gay male population. I was recently most impressed by an article that discussed the growing number of older gay men who are isolated and disconnected—frequently dealing with chronic health, financial and socialization issues without support or services to assist them in getting the help they need. My life experiences and career choices have all involved helping others. I can remember in elementary school raising money for UNICEF and donating money to local agencies to help feed the poor. In high school, I volunteered at the local hospital helping with patients who were receiving physical therapy or recuperating from a serious illness. In college, I was a peer mentor helping other college students to deal with personal and school issues and finding other resources to help them. My undergraduate degree is in Family Relations with a minor in Psychology and I specialized in Gerontology and Death and Dying issues. I currently work with children and families. I feel that a MSW degree will allow me to advance on my career path working with children, adolescents, adults, and the aging population. All my work experience has involved helping others and utilizing my abilities to coordinate services and activities. From my work as a waiter to working in the Entertainment Industry to being a realtor—in some way it has all related to my ability and drive to help others. Through all my work experiences, I have developed an enthusiastic sense of humor, patience, objectivity, compassion, and diplomacy. My ability to work with diverse populations from oppressed to affluent communities is a great asset for a social work professional and comes naturally to me. I have experience working with people with substance abuse issues, sexual orientation and sexual addiction issues, and other mental health issues. I have worked in the field of social work for 6 years, providing supportive services to children, families, and the aging. The greatest contribution that I might be able to make to society would be to harness my talents and experience to do everything that I can for my clients. Our aging gay male population faces special challenges, and it is critically important that we have an adequate supply of MSW Social Work professionals who take it upon themselves to provide special consideration to this important sector of our society, often suffering from substance abuse in their past alongside the ravages of time. I look forward to taking a special interest in this population as an MSW professional. And I want to thank you for your consideration of my application to your program. MSW Child & Family Therapy Statement of Purpose

A young woman from Nigeria, my experiences in life have taught me how to be patient, innovative, and constructive. Growing up in Africa, I have been a constant witness to the myriad forms of human suffering that result from extreme poverty, ignorance, ineptitude, and corruption. The overwhelming majority of families still lack necessities in Nigeria, there is little to no electricity in many villages, children still die from curable diseases and security is abysmal. In my search for a better life for my people, an intense passion grew within me as I began to realize that people do not have to live this way, that in other parts of the world common ordinary people are able to live comfortable lives. This is why I became interested in international affairs. Eventually, my curiosity led me to Canada, where I earned a BA Degree in International Development. Here in Canada, I have successfully adapted to life in a vast pool of diverse cultures and identities, thereby enhancing my own multi-lingual and, most of all multi-cultural, perspective on life, my global worldview. I relish the fact that I have learned to open my mind and see beyond my own experiences, and this has very much reinforced my desire to study towards a professional degree in international studies.  I have served as a volunteer here in Canada with various international organizations and companies. I worked with G-telecom, for example, an international telecommunications company based in Canada, where I gained both knowledge and experience in international communication. My professional experiences, combined with my studies, have inspired me to dream and struggle for our future. Someday, I hope to put my knowledge and skills to effective use by introducing affordable communication devices in my village and throughout small towns and rural areas, especially in remote areas where these devices are non-existent. In January 2010, I founded a non-profit organization called the Obee Benson Foundation, aimed at providing food, clothing and shelter to some of our less privileged people. I hope to someday expand this organization beyond Nigeria to all of Africa. Being accepted to your distinguished program will provide me with the tools and experience that I need to realize these goals. At the University of Windsor, I became the Public Relations Officer for the Nigerian Students Association, with the privilege of serving as a representative of the Nigerian student body in my school. I organized events, wrote, and edited flyers and magazines, arranged meetings, and conveyed information regarding the organization to the public, even bringing our issues to the attention of the school’s executive board. I organized campaigns, conferences, and have been particularly passionate when it comes to educating the public about our experiences as international students. I am particularly attracted to the master's program in International Administration at the University of XXXX because of its broad and comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach and I keenly look forward to a full immersion in both practical and theoretical aspects of my field. I was intrigued by the additional benefit of the school’s location, as the city is a hub for various immigrant communities, Latin American relations, and trade, as well as for global environmental and human rights issues. I am also attracted to the opportunities presented by your exchange program and hope to have the opportunity to learn all that I can about other cultures. I will be concentrating on regional studies (Africa) because I want to devote my life to bringing progressive social and economic change to Africa. I look forward to many decades working with international organizations, drawing attention to the most pressing needs of the African people. I am convinced that the Master of International Administration at the University of XXXX will prepare me for the achievement of my dreams. MSc International Affairs Administration Statement

Pursuing research and refinement of my clinical community psychology acumen at XXXX University will enable me to bring my career goals and dreams to fruition. No other field has nor ever could bring me the same level of personal or professional satisfaction. Firstly, and most importantly, XXXX offers the unique option of examining clinical-community psychology, the chance to focus on multicultural psychology, ergo establish the specific mental health concerns facing culturally diverse populations. The specificity of this degree will allow me to approach - professionally - the community and different agencies specifically addressing mental health care disparities and under-representation of minority populations. As a Vietnamese immigrant, I have walked more than a mile in the shoes of the immigrant and feel a profound sympathy for the assorted challenges. Having worked with the community since I was fifteen, and a volunteer tutor, I have seen the fruits of encouraging young immigrants to interact more with the greater community, and seen dramatic changes in the self-esteem, self-efficacy, and health lifestyle choices thereof. This is what I bring to my future as a psychologist, the innate understanding of the minority experience, that language and cultural barriers should not equate nor contribute to at-risk populations. When people start to seep through societal cracks, I will be there, their soft place to fall. With the aid of XXXX’s quality faculty and access to resources, I will be able to assess appropriate clinical treatments for the community, develop newer innovative approaches, interventions and refine my ability to design prevention programs that cater to minorities. Moreover, I need to study the ways in which groups and systems in the community coalesce to influence individual mental health. I feel that my research experiences in XXXX’s Social, Personality and Health Lab, and Child Cognition Lab have laid the requisite background of research fundamentals, and that my research assistant work, the observations, and participation in psychological studies, has increased the breadth of my research interests. Participation in the Clinical-Community, Psychology Psy.D. Program will bring credence to my clinical experiences as a biofeedback technician during my internship with XXXX’s counseling center. More than just a life-changing experience, it solidified my future in a more applied psychology setting. Having a firsthand awareness, patience, and passion for the demands of working with patients is to develop the raw rudiments, and the first step towards La Verne’s graduate program. Post-graduation, I can begin building a fruitful career as a private practitioner, ideally in my own practice, increasing my involvement in the community, encouraging aspiring children to consider a future in psychology and promoting good mental health. As a practitioner and researcher, I will be involved in increasing the depth and relevance of the field, making valuable contributions to hospitals and clinics, focusing on a rich array of diverse groups of people in need. Indeed, future research is a necessity, as community needs are constantly changing, and effective programs, interactions, treatments, and preventions need development and implementation to accommodate evolving issues. Clinical Community PsyD Personal Purpose Statement

I am a 27-year-old Armenian man now living in Los Angeles. I was born and raised in Armenia and lived there until I was nineteen, when I moved to the United States. I am applying to the Master of Social Work Program at XXU because of the excellence of its program and its convenient location. I spent a year in India studying English when I was 15 years old. I subsequently graduated from the Humanitarian College of Foreign Languages in Armenia as a business translator. On arrival in the United States, I completed an Intensive English Program at Evans Community Adult School and graduated from Los Angeles Community College in 2008. In the spring of this year, I will have completed my bachelor's degree in criminal justice. As a social worker, it is my sincere hope that I will be able to help many young people avoid entering the criminal justice system by receiving the care and direction that they need, especially those boys that are raised in at-risk families. I have participated in several community outreach programs since my arrival in the United States. I have also undertaken substantial volunteer translation for members of the Armenian and Russian communities. The strongest aspect of my application is my experience with these two communities since I will be able to develop a special interest in these two important immigrant communities, doing research on their behalf and becoming a professional investigator and social work practitioner in the service of both immigrant communities, The time that I have spent in India and that spent in the multi-cultural environment of Los Angeles has exposed me to many diverse cultures. This has enabled me to understand the need for cultural awareness and sensitivity in dealing with others and these life experiences are extremely relevant to the program for which I am now applying. I am a hard-working, calm, thoughtful, independent, and caring person who relates well to others and feel that assisting people in social work is not merely a career choice but my vocation in life. I am aware that I have been fortunate in my own life and have a very real desire to help those who have not been blessed with such advantages. I also believe that my studies in criminal justice are relevant to this program and provide a good foundation for a master's degree in social work. I am particularly interested in research, and subsequent work, related to helping troubled young people who are not attending school regularly and are involved in deviant behavior such as petty crime and substance abuse. My interest in doing this kind of work was fired when I met such young people in the several outreach programs in which I have assisted. I am certain that I possess the empathy and the personal qualities required to be effective in helping underprivileged young people and young single parents to see possibilities beyond their immediate situations and to help them find ways to enable them to fulfill their potential. I am determined to spend my future assisting others as a professional social worker and feel strongly that the program for which I am applying is the best means of reaching my goal of helping others and of assisting society in general. I am a compassionate and very hard-working young man who is very dedicated to his studies and his career. I assure you that I will give my all to your program and I want to thank you for consideration of my application. MSW Personal Purpose Statement Sample Asian Immigrant

With wisdom comes timing, a knowledge of the right moment when to act. It has always been my desire to make a difference to the lives of others. I believe that my experiences thus far have brought me to the pivotal point of making this dream a reality. By enrolling in a master's program in Social Work at the University of ____, I will be pursuing an academic qualification that will add excellence in knowledge and skill to the practical experience I have already gained in the field as a volunteer over many years. Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti amidst much poverty and injustice, I was blessed by being afforded a life of privilege. Although I started volunteer work as a teenager tutoring children in the mountain regions of Haiti and spent most of my adult life contributing to various community-based social service programs, this academic milestone will create a platform that will allow me to exponentially increase my ability to help others, which is my greatest motivation. Having both my parents involved in different capacities in the medical profession exposed me early on in life to the suffering of the sick, the poor and the dying. My inspiration also came from two other extraordinary people: Paul Farmer, a devoted volunteer Physician who founded Partners in Health, a network of health clinics in Haiti and Pere Lanoo, a Belgian Priest at the Elise Permissible de Saint Joseph who had a church clinic in the poorest slum of Haiti. Following the amazing examples of lives lived selflessly and with compassion for the poorest of the poor, achieving this qualification will provide me with the academic excellence I require to practice professionally in my capacity as a social worker and improve the lot of those I serve. Life can be a great teacher. I learnt firsthand how devastating illness and sudden death can be and the empathy I feel for those who are suffering and in pain is based on experiences my own family endured. The coping skills I acquired and the compassion I have for those who are in need were birthed through my own struggles at the time of my father’s death and my sister’s illness which made me sensitive to the plight of other people, aware of the significance of lending a helping hand and committed to the process of investing my time and energy in programs that uplift families and reduce pain and suffering. Coming to the United States in 1983 to study hotel management, even though my studies were impacted by the traumatic events I had experienced with my family, I was able to obtain my qualification albeit not with the excellence I could have achieved had circumstances been different. I relocated to Germany with my husband after graduating from Florida International University in 1988 and spent time living in both Germany and the United States. Having lived in three different countries and amongst diverse communities which are a tapestry of diverse cultures, and being widely travelled to many countries across continents, I was given an opportunity to develop a worldview that encompassed people from many nations. Being fluently multilingual because of living abroad and in the United States, I acquired exceptional communication and interpersonal skills which enabled me to relate to people from diverse cultural backgrounds; an asset in my chosen profession. Having spent a sizable portion of my adult life in the hospitality industry in various capacities, it would be fair to view this decision to enroll in a Social Work Program as being a change in career path. However, it does not represent a change in intent of heart and motivation. For most of my professional life, I gravitated towards situations that ended up helping people, which changed the quality of their experience of life. Whether a trainee at the Marriot Hotel, a real estate professional, a member of the tourism industry or the owner-manager of a shop in Germany, my focus has always been solution-orientated; the goal to help the person in front of me in whatever way I could, to the best of my ability. The experience acquired during these years was invaluable as it gave me a perspective on humanity which allowed me to develop insight into families and cultures. This solidified a belief in me that all people have the right to live full lives without fear of poverty, pain, and suffering. It also gave me a unique appreciation for what people universally value in their lives. It fostered in me a deep-rooted desire to become part of the community of health workers who tirelessly work amongst the poor and indigent to improve the quality of their lives. I believe that when I achieve this qualification and practice as a social worker, I will be able to add value to the lives of any community I practice in by serving them with compassion. Although I spent many years as a volunteer in different capacities including the time spent mentoring children and youth with a migration background, my passion has always been to do more, to make a difference. The defining moment for me was the earthquake that struck Haiti at the beginning of this year. Watching the extent of the human suffering of the people in the country of my birth was overwhelming, strengthening my resolve to embark on this course. The sheer magnitude of the devastation propelled me to seize the moment and apply to a program that would give me the academic background I require to pursue a career as a social worker and make my finest contribution to both of my societies. My choice of the MSW Program at ____ University is based on my profound appreciation for your commitment to academic excellence and a highly motivated faculty with a passion for helping others. The MSW at _____ appeals to me because of your emphasis on social justice and diversity. With my skill set and life experiences, I believe that I would also be able to add value to the experience of other students by bringing strength and diversity to the Master of Social Work program. Working closely with people from diverse backgrounds as a volunteer, I realized that children and the youth were the most vulnerable in any society, especially those of an immigrant or disadvantaged background who faced obstacles and hurdles that I could help them overcome through simple programs that empowered them. I am convinced that this degree will not just give me the necessary skills and academic knowledge of the discipline but will provide me with a structured framework with which to practice as a social worker amongst immigrant communities in Germany and with at-risk children in Haiti. Married with two teenage children, I am now ready to pursue this passion that I have had for years to advance my education to the master's level of study. My long-term goal is to work with Partners in Health in the rural community of Cange in Haiti to provide social services to the region and empower women farmers who have fought to earn a living through farming in difficult circumstances, against all odds. Determined and persevering as an individual, I know that I will be successful in addressing the poverty and injustice that plagues this community with compassion and an attitude of tolerance that is sensitive to the needs of diverse people groups. I trust that you will afford me the opportunity to study at your institution as I believe that the Master of Social Work program will equip me with the necessary skills and knowledge, I require to achieve my goal. Dedicated to any task set before me and hardworking, I am convinced that I can succeed not just at this program but at my chosen field of social work; the passion I feel for those who are suffering through circumstances and injustice is the motivation for me to persevere with my studies because I believe that it is possible to make a difference to the quality of the lives of others and I would like to dedicate my life like countless others before me have done to this cause. MSW Statement of Purpose Social Work Masters Haiti

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

I am a 31-year-old man serving in the Republic of Korea Air Force as a fighter pilot. I served as president of our student council in my high school, representing 2400 students, and went on to serve as class representative and cadet wing commander in my years spent at the air force academy. I graduated from the pilot training program with honors and soon found myself in the Western Saharan desert serving with the UN trying to bring peace to the region. I am proud to have overcome hardships that made me a stronger person. I required surgery on my nasal septum to be accepted to the airforce academy. I later learned that  I had another problem in the veins near my testis which also required surgery. For two and half years I underwent basic, intermediate, advanced, and combat readiness training. During an intermediate course, I failed solo check-ride, and my instructor pilot told me that there is little hope that I would finish the course. Even if I could somehow manage to pass this intermediate course, he suggested that I would be washed out either in advanced or combat readiness course. I was shocked, but I could not think of myself as anything other than a pilot because I knew that being a fighter pilot was the best thing that I could give back to my country. I realized that I had to try twice or three times harder than my colleagues since I was not a natural born pilot. I never gave up, however, and graduated near the top of my class. I volunteered to join the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara to devote my life and talents to peacebuilding. It was not easy, from the beginning, I struggled to convince senior officials that a fighter pilot should be chosen to serve on a UN mission. I was even told by the Army general in the joint chiefs of staff that it would be a national loss (as the nation makes a huge investment in each pilot) if I were to be sent to Western Sahara. I replied that I define myself not as a pilot but an officer in the military who should have broad experience to become a wise decision maker in the future. I was honored to be selected as an air liaison officer serving in the UN Mission headquarters in Western Sahara where I was able to expedite emergency response time. It was not easy for a captain from a small country in East Asia to convince both stubborn UN civilians who had already spent more than 10 years in the mission and the section heads from different armies with little experience in air operations. At first, I sent a letter of complaint to them only to realize that even though my suggestion was logical enough, it would not be seen with favor. Next, I tried to convince them with politeness and little by little opened their mind to me.  I was proud when we could transport a local Saharawi woman living in the desert that had been bitten by horn viper to a hospital in Algeria in time and saved her life. Those experiences assured me that nothing makes me happier than when I find myself immersed in the process of helping others. My long-term plan is to be a decision maker in national defense, especially dealing with the North Korean regime. For many years army personnel dominated the majority of the military decision makers. As an air power expert, however, there are special things that I will be able to contribute to my country and the World. My short-term plan is to move up in the ranks of the South Korean Air Force to a level where I have some strategic authority. I hope to work with the Ministry of Defense in policy development. I will focus on North Korean Policy, based on the Air Force’s view that I may be able to fill in the gaps that remain neglected by Army personnel. In this way, I will be able to give all the support that I can to the South Korean government’s struggle to bring peace to East Asia, especially the Korean Peninsula. I have served in the Air Force for seven years and developed US-KOREA wartime plans for air assets. I have participated in numerous joint exercises and operations between our militaries, including ‘Counter Yeonpyeong Island Bombardment’. In the Western Sahara I worked with people from diverse backgrounds and developed my global leadership skills. Having participated in a ceasefire monitoring mission in Africa, I have become more international and analytical in my thinking about multiple party conflict negotiation. My short-term goal is to study at the XXXX School of Government MPP Program because both my superior officers and I are convinced that you program will provide me with the optimal preparation that I will need to make the most valuable and thoughtful contributions possible to the maintenance of peace in Southeast Asia. MPP Personal Purpose Public Policy Statement Examples

I have earned a great deal through maturity, finding deep inside myself a rich context of finely honed professional skills built upon solid experience. Graduate studies in public administration, for me, is the fruition of my creative, interdisciplinary experience geared towards my professional advancement. I was born and raised in Central Taiwan, complementing my undergraduate degree at Hung Kuang Nursing College by also earning the Bachelor of Public Administration Degree (1992-1995). My first choice for graduate study is at the University of XXXX. I have lived here in Ontario, Canada now for many years and it is my new country that I have come to love. I am looking forward to contributing to the elevated level of diversity among the graduate students in your program. Since I have the deepest respect and admiration for the Public Administration Program at XXXX University, it does not seem appropriate for me to apply anywhere else. I have always followed my heart and I trust that this is by far the best choice that I could make. My greatest gift in life is my profound compassion for others. I am a very tender and caring woman who bleeds for those around me who are in distress or in need of assistance and I long increasingly to turn my passion to the pursuit of academic excellence. I am especially interested in doing graduate work in Public Policy, especially Health Policy, by obtaining a state-of-the-art graduate education in this area and receiving my M.A. Degree in Public Administration. 10 years from now I would like to be working for an organization where I could have direct input on policy decisions. For me, the principal attraction of a career in public administration is that it will allow me to play highly active and creative roles as a member of teams that build a new future for our society and generations to come. I am fluent in Mandarin as well as English. Since I lived in Montreal for two years, I also took full advantage of the opportunity to learn French. My language skills give me something important to contribute to a Public Administration Program and I ask that you take them into consideration in the evaluation of my application for both admission and financial aid. My professional credentials are also bolstered by seven years of work experience in nursing. I am a person of diverse interests and I have also benefited professionally from my employment experiences outside of the area of Health Care. Recently, for example, I worked for the Canada Revenue Agency as a Testing Clerk for 5 months. I have enormous enthusiasm for the cause of public service, helping to resolve numerous, complicated health care issues that surround our chronic, global wide shortage of healthcare workers. I am a cosmopolitan woman that has traveled frequently to Australia, Singapore, and China and I completed my bachelor's degree here in America in 1996 in Arizona. Over the years, I have come to appreciate the way that public policy, economics, and social issues all come together to play pivotal roles in the formation of public policy. Thank you for your consideration of my application. MPA Public Administration Personal Purpose Statement

As a young Armenian Iranian woman, I was taught that my grandparents were incredibly special. I adored them, especially my grandmother, and when she became ill, I tried my best to nurse her back to health. I was fascinated about the difference that medicines made in her health; therefore, at the age of sixteen, I fell in love with medicine, the very concept of saving lives and our possibilities as a human society for minimizing death and suffering through science. I see my caring for my grandmother, helping her with her medications, and reading about her treatment, as my first taste of preparation for a career in pharmacy. My grandmother's illness helped me to focus and dream about a career in health care, and I see it as the foundation for my dedication to pharmacy. My dedication to pharmacy is driven by my respect and passion for the power of medicine to cure. Fascinated with the power of science and medicine, I began my exploration of the field of pharmacy. During both high school and college, I took many science classes to provide me with an adequate background to succeed in pharmacy school. The courses that I completed in math, biology, organic chemistry, and biochemistry especially contributed to my interest in pursuing a graduate degree in pharmacy. Majoring in pharmacological chemistry at XXXX allowed me to take particularly challenging science courses and gain a deeper understanding of the fields most related to pharmacy. Studying at XXXX also gave me the invaluable opportunity to work at Dr. XXXX's lab at the XXXX Research Institute for one year and participate in an internship under the supervision of Dr. Christine XXXX last summer, where I had the chance to design the vectors for expressing Rab-40 proteins, helping us to better understand the misfolding of proteins that cause diseases such as cystic fibrosis, type 2 diabetes, and amyloidosis; this also provided me with an in-depth look at the enormous effort that is put into the making of a new drug. I have taken full advantage of the chance to work closely with post-doctoral students and this has helped me to appreciate the importance of research more fully in the health care sciences, especially drug development and drug targeting. My hands-on involvement in research has helped me to achieve an extremely positive attitude towards science and the confidence and self-esteem which will help me to become an excellent and highly professional pharmacist because of your program. I have long been involved in extracurricular activities that have enabled me to become more open-minded and professional. I have worked with Alpha Gamma Sigma, the Persian and Armenian student organizations at XXXX Community College (XXX) and the Biological Sciences Student Organization, Pre-pharmacy Society, as well as HOPE at XXXX. I was a supplemental instructional leader for calculus at XXXX and a calculus tutor, also at XXXX. I have also served as a volunteer at local convalescent homes. In Iran, I was a Girl Scout leader and I have also served as a volunteer at local convalescent homes. In Iran, I was a Girl Scout leader for six years and organized field trips and camping for girls from seven to thirteen. Currently, I am involved in a Global Citizen leadership program where we struggle to awaken an interest in international affairs among international students and other immigrants here in San Diego. All these activities have helped me to become an excellent communicator which will serve me well as a pharmacist. I have attended numerous pharmacy related seminars that helped me to broaden the horizons of my understanding of the field from an interdisciplinary perspective, giving me the chance to interact with scientists and pharmacists working on drug development. I am extremely excited about the future of the pharmaceutical industry, and I believe that scientific discoveries of the not-too-distant future will help us to find cures for Multiple sclerosis (M.S), HIV, and other deliberating diseases. This makes me especially proud of my goal to become a pharmacist. My strong interest in science and passion for improving the quality of life of my community are my primary motivations for wanting to attend the PharmD Program at USC. During my preschool years, my grandmother would tell me that there was nothing in the dark that did not exist in the light. Following her bypass surgery, as I nursed her back to health, I would think about that light and dream of a career in medicine helping people to stave off the ravages of disease and death, seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I look forward to many decades of honoring my grandmother through the care of others, as she always taught me to do. I want to thank you for your consideration of my application. Asian Applicant Personal Purpose PharmD Statement

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